Coast guard and security officials swing into action after information that Al-Jazeera, a vessel, is carrying terror suspects; find nothing suspicious
Coast guard and security officials swing into action after information that Al-Jazeera, a vessel, is carrying terror suspects; find nothing suspicious
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Sea Hoax: The vessel was intercepted in the middle of the sea.
However, the search operation was called off after the team did not find
anything suspicious. Pic/Dayanand Kukkaje
The information was convened to the chief minister who issued go ahead orders, following which a team of senior police officers along with coastal guard officials swung into action. A team intercepted the vessel in the middle of the sea to conduct a thorough search. But the search operation was called off after the team did not find anything suspicious.
In all, eight persons have been taken into custody, of which four are from Jamnagar, Gujarat, three from Lakshadweep and one from Kerala. They have been identified as A K Nasir, Kunhi Mohammed, Latheef, Abbas Kareem, Mohammed Haneef, Ayub Ahmed and Salem Mohammed.
The team later questioned Khaleed, the vessel's owner, about his business to ascertain his trips to Lakshdweep. "Though the whole operation turned out to be futile, we gained some good experience," said an officer who was a part of the operation.
Meanwhile, the coastal area was put on high alert as the police suspect that this could be an easy route for terror suspects to sneak in. "This exercise has put police and coastal guards on their toes," said an official.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister BS Yadyurappa had directed the home department to sound a red alert on the entry and exit points of the state including sea, air and road routes to keep a vigil on Monday.
Terror via deep waters |
>>Ten men in inflatable speedboats came ashore at two locations in Colaba, Mumbai, on 26 November, 2008. |