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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: December 14, 2006 |
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The Israeli Foreign Ministry has issued an urgent warning of an impending al-Qaida attack in the peaceful Indian region of Goa, a popular destination for Israeli backpackers.
The ministry's announcement warned of a "concrete threat" of an al-Qaida attack in the area in the next few weeks. This is peak tourist season in Goa, a former Portuguese colony renowned for its palm tree-lined white beaches, resorts and hedonistic parties, and tens of thousands of foreigners, including many Israelis, are expected to be there.
B.S. Brar, director general of police in Goa told India's CNN-IBN news channel that "there is no specific intelligence" of an impending attack. "We have no concrete warning of any type of attack," he said.
"Goa is one of the safest places," he said, urging tourists not to stay away during the peak tourist season.
While India has suffered dozens of terror attacks in recent years, none of them have been linked to al-Qaida. However, security analysts believe that the group may have informal links with Pakistani-based Islamic militants, most notably Lashkar-eTayyaba, who are fighting to wrest control of Indian-held Kashmir from India.
A dozen-odd groups want have been fighting since 1989 for the independence of the Muslim majority Himalayan region from mainly Hindu India or a union with mostly Muslim Pakistan. |
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