From Sanjay Borkar in Margao

for Daijiworld News Network - Goa

Margao, Mar 12: Believe it or not, the earthquake in Pakistan a few months ago may have saved Goa from terror attacks…

Lashkhar-e-Toiba militant, Tariq Jalal alias Tariq Batlo, who was arrested with explosives, including one kg of RDX, and firearms at Margao Railway station on Friday night, confessed in the police remand that he was to execute attack on Vasco city, which has Oil tanks, Mormugao port trust and also an airport was to be detroyed, said director general of police Neeraj Kumar while addressing a press conference.

Tariq Jalal in black T-shirt (middle) being taken to Crime branch, Panjim by police officers

From the Margao Police sources this correspondent came to know that the accused was trying to strike attacks during the last couple of months, but the massive earthquake which had hit Pakistan foiled his plans, as his mentors from Pakistan did not provide him with money for expenses.

Because of shortage of money he could not carry out the work, and as a result Goa was saved from his planned terror strike, said police sources.

Tariq Jalal who was confined by the Margao police, has been shifted to Crime Branch, Panaji for interrogation.

To handle his case, and to extract his attack plans from him, an Intelligence team has arrived in Goa. Who will, during interrogation assess his possible involvement in other terrorist incidents elsewhere in the country and his further motives in Goa.

A Science graduate, Tariq was disappointed and frustrated over not getting a job after completion of degree, and went to Mujaffarabad and there he took a two-and-a-half-year training in Pakistan for conducting terrorist activities.

The Goa Police are trying in every way to find out if has any other links in Goa.

The police investigation also revealed that he was involved in the many terror attacks in Kashmir and was arrested two times, but had trickily escaped fromcustody.

Our special correspondent adds:

Panaji: The terrorist arrested in Goa had slipped off from J&K police's hands in 2002 and was missing since then.

A trained radiologist, Tariq Jalal, as he identifies himself, opted for militancy as he was not able to get employment. After initial training in Srinagar, Tariq went through a life of militancy which included a two-year-plus training in Muzaffarabad training camp and finally landed in Goa police net on Friday.

Goa police have seized one kg of RDX, two hand-grenades, two detonators and two cameras from Tariq, who had plotted to target vital establishments in Goa. "He has confessed that he targeted establishments like Mormugao port trust, oil dumps, airport and railway stations in Goa," stated Director general of police (DGP) Neeraj Kumar.

His arrest at Margao railway station in Goa was Tariq's encounter with police almost after three years. "In 2002, he was taken into custody by J&K police and was taken to identify the spot for militant training in Srinagar when he escaped and after that went on missing," Kumar stated.

After his great escape, Tariq travelled to Nepal, Bangladesh, Karachi and landed in Muzaffarabad.

During his two-day-long interrogation, Tariq has disclosed his plans to target vital establishments including Mormugao port trust (MPT), oil dumps, airport and railway stations.

Officials of two central investigation agencies have arrived in Goa and would interrogate Tarique.

Tariq has confessed that he was working for Tehriq-Ul-Mujahiddin outfit which operates from Muzaffarabad and is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

This outfit rarely operates outside J&K and Goa was one of the exceptional case. He had created a base in Goa and was getting money through the conduit of hawala from Pakistan.