COIMBATORE: Governor RN Ravi on Friday said the blast in a car in Coimbatore was a clear act of terror aimed at unleashing terrorism in the country, and charged the State government with delaying the decision to transfer the probe to NIA.
Speaking at Jagadguru Sri Veerasimhasana Mahasamsthana Math in Navakkarai, Ravi said: “What happened few days back in the district was an attempt to unleash a major terror attack. It was providential that terrorists did not succeed and the blast killed one of them. But what was found later from their places is enough to suggest they had planned a series of terror attacks.
“Sometime back, PFI, an organisation that was very dangerous and notorious was banned by the government of India. A week later, targeted attacks happened. Molotov cocktails and inflammable material were hurled at houses of political functionaries. These incidents should not be seen in isolation. When it comes to terrorism, there must be complete unity between all agencies of the Union and State because terrorists do not work in isolation.
“Coimbatore has been a place for nurturing terrorist modules for a very long time. The people were planning to procure explosives and fabricate improvised explosive device, but it went unnoticed. Some of those who were involved in the attack were on our radar in the past. Where did we miss them? Did we lose our monitoring system? We know the people have been trained and groomed from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.”
Though he lauded TN police for identifying the blast victim and arresting suspects quickly, he said there was a delay in handing the case over to NIA. “I need to credit TN police, one of the most efficient in the country. When I was deputy national security advisor, I received a precise input from TN police (about PFI) which no other State police gave.”
“TN police did am excellent job but police is just an instrument. Police cannot communicate with NIA and ask them to take up a case, but those who are supposed to take a decision took more than four days. When police identified the suspects within hours, why did it take four days to bring in their ally.
When it is a terror attack, time is very important. Terrorists would erase the tracks of conspiracy and planning. We gave them more than four days. Law enforcement agency knows it is capable. The force needs a free hand and must be given a free hand,” he said.