Dears, The word "catholic" means "universal". Truth is no longer universal in Goa, "frame up" is. In March, 2006, I had written under the caption "Battlo zalear kristao zalo". At that point of time there were communal riots in Sanvordem. Tariq Ahmed Battlo was a convenient person to use to "defuse" the situation. He was a Muslim. After Dick Cheney reportedly made the statement, "All Muslims may not be terrorists, but all terrorsits are Muslims" it became easy to target anyone who was muslim, had a beard or had a Muslim sounding name ... like Silimkhan ;-)
Everyone and his aunty knew that Battlo was framed up. It took the Judiciary two years to ascertain that. Thank God for a courageous judge like Mr Justice Narayan Amonkar. The police will take a litle longer to admit that ... as in the infamous Goa College of Art RAPE case that wasn't! Thankfully, Battlo made it to the front pages of some newspapers. The five boys who were framed up in the Arty Rape never made it beyond page 4 in the newspapers. Perhaps we have to thank the Times of India for that change. The arsonists of Curchorem were released first and even acquitted before the Battlo case was settled. To "bhaillo" ....he was even arrested for wanting to have a haircut yesterday and needed a lawyer to get his release! Next time you go for a haircut, be sure to carry a photo ID card, specailly if you have a beard! Mog asundi. Miguel Battlo acquitted of terrorism charge NT NETWORK 10 July, 2008 MARGAO — The assistant Sessions Judge (fast track court) Mr Justice Narayan Amonkar on Thursday morning passed an order acquitting Tariq Ahmed Battlo alias Ishad Ahmed Bhat who was arrested by the Margao police on March 10, 2006, at the Margao railway station for possessing explosives. He was given benefit of doubt and set free by the court. Police had alleged that Battlo, a suspected militant belonged to Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen, an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and his arrest had given credence to the repeated warnings of central intelligence agencies that Goa could be a potential target of terrorists. It may be recalled that the state had hit the headlines on March 10, 2006 after the police, acting on a tip-off from the central agencies had claimed to have arrested the Kashmiri terror suspect with detonators and explosives including RDX while he was alighting at the Margao railway station. Police had recovered from him one kg of RDX, two hand grenades and two electronic detonators. The hand grenades found on him were of Russian make and highly sophisticated, it was told by the police. The Margao police had also claimed that Battlo had planned to bomb vital installations and tourist places across the state. Police investigations had revealed that Battlo was taking shelter in Margao in an apartment at Sirvodem, months before his arrest. Senior police officers had said that he had been trained for over two years in Pakistan and had been to Nepal and Bangladesh and was frequenting Goa and staying in a flat belonging to an old woman near Navelim. He has not pleaded guilty to the charges and he appeared in person defending himself against the state. In all, 26 witnesses were examined by the court. Initially the case was investigated by the then Margao police inspector, Mr Santosh Dessai and later the case was handed over to crime branch, Panaji. The investigation was carried out by police inspector, Mr R R Shetgaunker. Ms Asha Arseker represented the state. -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
