Youth from Goa held for making hoax call of terror attack on Obama

Panaji: A 19-year-old youth from Goa has been arrested for making a hoax call to Delhi Police, warning them of a terror attack on US President Barack Obama. [caption id=“attachment_2060105” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] US President Barack Obama. AP[/caption] The youth, Nesh Steve Coutinho, from South Goa district, also claimed that ’terrorists’ had planned to kill Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar too, Goa police said on Thursday. Coutinho made the call to the Delhi Police control room at around 7 am on Wednesday, purportedly saying that he has recorded a conversation of terrorists plotting an attack on Obama during his upcoming India visit, Superintendent of Police (South) Shekhar Prabhudesai said. The state police on Thursday said in a statement that Coutinho told an officer of Delhi police on Wednesday that he spotted three suspicious-looking youths opposite Panzorconi petrol pump on NH 17 in his village when he was out for morning walk. They had a van and two bullet motorcycle, and Coutinho said he overheard them talking about a terrorist act on Rajpath, New Delhi, on 26 January and “to kill the DM” and bring “Khalid Faisel, as in-charge” and to see “who can save India”. He also claimed that he saw the youths firing two rounds in the air from a gun. Coutinho has handed over his mobile phone with a fake recording of conversation of ’terrorists’ and a gunshot to the police. He had created it on his laptop, police said. Prabhudesai said Coutinho’s motive was to gain publicity. He also told the police that he wanted to participate in the Republic Day parade, Prabhudesai said. PTI