The biggest casualty of war and terrorism, even in the most breathtaking of places is tourism. Goa is at the crossroads. The state has been free from any terror strike, inspite of threats looming large and annual intelligence warning of impending attacks in the tourist belt. However, even if there is even a hint of complacency and the cry wolf syndrome sets in, the state will be woefully short of intelligence, preparedness, crisis management, and finally the strength to combat terror, if (and hopefully not when) it actually strikes.
As the threat from impending attacks in parts of Goa, has acquired, for the first time, very credible proportions, Goa’s biggest asset – tourism – is under real threat. The 20 % shortfall in foreign tourists due to various reasons could lead to a spiraling drop, if a terror threat is added to the bag of reasons. From the Middle East to the sub-continent of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have all been victims of terrorism. But the economic downturn has been felt very acutely, when terrorism has wiped out tourism. Look at pre-war Jaffna in Sri Lanka and compare it with the post-LTTE era. While the battle fields of Jaffna became the venue of terrorism tourism, as hordes descended in the erstwhile war-torn area to take a look at the LTTE strongholds, this soon gave way to many visiting Sri Lanka to see the beauty of the land, the cleanliness of its cities and beaches and the confidence of a nation bursting with energy to welcome the world after decades of living under the shadow of terror.
Goa needs to be very alarmed because the current terror threats are not from the Kashmir school of militancy or even from the Indian Mujahideen. The National Security Guard (NSG) has warned that the Islamic State and al-Qaeda are likely to launch a combined attack in India, especially in tourist spots such as Goa and metropolises such as Bangalore. Fourteen people, aged between 20 and 53 years, were picked up across the country after they had purchased explosive material and electronic circuits used for fabricating Improvised Explosive Devices, acid, nuts and bolts that are used as splinters in bombs.
In a report in the Indian Express, JN Choudhary, the director general of the country’s elite anti-terror force, warned that there is a threat of such an attack in India and that the 26/11 attack was a “curtain raiser”. News channels reported that the NSG chief further said the two groups can ally with the Indian Mujahideen to carry out the attacks
And then of course the postcard received in Goa warning that the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar were on the immediate hit list of ISIS, has put the security agencies on very high alert.
This brings us to a fundamental issue. Is Goa prepared for a terror attack? The long and the short answer is a two letter word called NO. The combined strength of the police, the Anti Terrorist squad and other agencies are not capable of handling any serious terror attack. Some would argue that they are not expected to. This needs to be handled by the centre. That’s a fair point. However no terror plot can be effective without local intelligence and handlers. 26/11 did not happen because Ajmal Kasab and his team executed the plan brilliantly. It happened because one David Coleman Headley spent months in Mumbai, undercover, on a reconnaissance and intelligence gathering mission. And if the local IB unit and the police had picked on this, 26/11 may never have happened.
This is Goa’s biggest challenge. It needs to get its act together and pick up local intelligence in a manner in which it has never done before. Kashmiri terrorists, IM’s Yasin Bhatkal and others have all been terror guests in Goa without the local police getting a whiff. Goa cannot afford such costly mistakes, because now, there will be no second chance. If a single bomb goes off or a single bullet is fired, no amount of beach cleaning, garbage free roads, helicopter rides and efficient taxis with meters and low fares, can ever get back tourists to Goa.
A terror attack will not just harm humans, but set Goa back for generations to come.
