'Chilling out' on Goa beach
Photo: Avigail Uzi
Warning to Israelis: Al-Qaeda plotting attack in Goa
Foreign Ministry, Counter-Terrorism Division issue travel warning to Indian region popular among Israeli and Western tourists; Goa’s sites at peak occupancy during December, New Years season
Israel’s Foreign Ministry and National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Division issued a travel warning Wednesday against visiting Goa in eastern India.
“In the upcoming weeks travelers to Goa are under serious terror threat of terror attacks by al-Qaeda,” the ministry warned said.
“In the frame of the al-Qaeda terror threat in India, there is now also a concrete threat centering on the Goa region, where there are many Israeli tourists, at the end of the calendar year,” the warning said.
Goa beaches hot spot for Western tourists (Photo: Avigail Uzi)
Thus, the Foreign Ministry and Counter-Terrorism Division recommended Israeli citizens avoid visiting Goa in the upcoming weeks, and especially avoid crowded tourist sites in the region.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that the decision to visit such sites is up to each individual’s better judgment, and is upon his or her own responsibility. “The Foreign Ministry would like to clarify that from the perspective of Israeli law, there is no travel ban on the aforementioned areas,” the message noted.
Strategic site
Goa has been a popular destination for Israeli tourists for many decades. The tourist season officially opens in November, and towards the end of December occupancy reaches its peak, especially on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. This makes Goa’s beaches a strategic target for terror attacks.
Thousands of young travelers visit Goa to “chill out” on its attractive beach and spend days and nights partying. With time, Indian authorities learned to turn a blind eye to the drugs and trance parties. About one-third of Goa residents are Catholic. The site also attracts many Western families and is becoming an popular amongst senior citizens, who often decide to come – and stay.
Al-Qaeda views tourist-packed sites as “superior” targets for terrorism, which has been evident in the past in fatal attacks on Bali in Indonesia, which killed over 200 people.
In October 2005, 26 people were killed in simultaneous blasts at three local restaurants on the Indonesian island. Dozens of people were wounded, including numerous Australian tourists. Some three years earlier, an even more brutal attack struck the island, killing 202 residents and tourists.
At the end of August, the Counter-Terrorism Division issued a warning to travelers in Sinai, calling on all Israelis to leave the site. The warning said that “the threat that Israelis may be kidnapped on Sinai’s beaches has become more concrete recently. The division firmly recommends all Israeli travelers leave the site immediately.”
