Government must clarify on terror threat in Goa

New Delhi, Dec 15: The Government was today asked to clarify the situation regarding Israeli Government's advisory to its citizens not to visit Goa in view of the ''concrete threat of Al Qaeda attack'' on tourists there during Christmas season.

Raising the issue during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha, Congress member from Goa Shantaram Naik said the Israeli government's advisory was not regarding a ''normal threat but some specific information'' so Home Minister Shivraj Patil must clarify the government's position on the issue.

He said the government must share what specific information has been provided by the Israeli government as the issue would affect Goa enormously during the tourist season.

Many other members from BJP, SP and other parties supported Mr Naik's demand and said both the Home Minister and the External Affairs Minister must make a statement to clarify the exact facts of the situation.

It is significant that the Home Ministry had yesterday clarified that it had no report of any Al Qaeda presence in the country. The clarification was made in view of the media reports of Israel government issuing an advisory to its citizens visiting Goa during the Christmas holidays about the ''concrete threat'' of an al Qaeda attack and advising them against travelling to the popular beach area.

In a travel advisory on its Hebrew-language website, Israel's Foreign Ministry said, ''Within the framework of al Qaeda's terror threats in India, there is now a concrete threat focusing on the Goa region where multitudes of visitors, including Israelis, gather in late December.'' It said Israel's Counter-Terrorism Authority recommended its citizens to stay away from sites in Goa popular with Westerners and Israelis over the next few weeks. Nearly 400,000 tourists flock Goa's beaches and palm groves during the peak October-March season.

UNI