Pakistani militants threaten Commonwealth Games

A Pakistan-based militant group has warned foreigners not to attend three upcoming international sporting events in India, while another one has claimed responsibility for a deadly weekend bomb attack on a city in western India.

Ilyas Kashmiri, an alleged al-Qaeda operative who heads the notorious militant 313 Brigade, contacted the Asia Times Online to warn foreigners not to come to the Hockey World Cup this month, the Indian Premier League in March, and the Commonwealth Games in October.

"We warn the international community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth Games," said an emailed message to Asia Times Online's Islamabad office.

"Nor should their people visit India - if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences."
A previously unknown group calling itself Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Almi also telephoned the Islamabad bureau of India's Hindu newspaper to say it carried out Saturday's bombing at a German bakery in Poona, which killed ten people, including two foreigners.

It claimed to have split from the larger Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the militant organization blamed for the Mumbai attack of November 2008, because LeT "took its orders from Pakistan's intelligence agency", according to The Hindu.

Both messages said they were motivated by Indian policies in the disputed region of Kashmir, which is claimed in entirety by both India and Pakistan and has sparked three wars between them since they won independence from Britain in 1947.

The two messages, which could not immediately be verified independently, are likely to place further strain on scheduled talks between the Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries in Islamabad next week - the first such talks since the Mumbai attacks.

They are also sure to heighten fears of further militant attacks in India, especially among British and other Western athletes who are due to attend the three upcoming sports events.

Following the Mumbai attacks, last year's IPL had to be staged in South Africa and Australia pulled out of a tennis Davis Cup tie in India.

New Zealand has already responded by announcing that its men's hockey team will delay travelling to the World Cup, which is due to start in Delhi, the Indian capital, on February 28.

"While Hockey New Zealand still plans for the Black Sticks men's team to attend the Hockey World Cup in Delhi, it has decided to keep the team in Perth until further notice," Hockey New Zealand chief executive Hilary Poole said.

"We have been monitoring this situation all along. But the events over the past 24 hours have lead us to reassess the situation."

The New Zealand Olympic Committee, which is responsible for the New Zealand team going to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, said it was aware of the reported threat.

"We are seeking government advice on the nature and validity of the threat and will take action as appropriate," an NZOC spokeswoman said.

A spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said the government was closely monitoring the situation.
Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister, also said his government was keeping a close eye on the situation, and liaising with Indian authorities.

"Indian authorities have pledged to implement strong security procedures for all upcoming sporting events in India,” he said. “We, however, will be following this very, very closely.”

Perry Crosswhite, Chief executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association, said he had discussed the threats with the Department of Foreign Affairs, but had yet to alter any plans.

Ric Charlesworth, the coach of the Australian men's hockey team, said he was not overly concerned, but the Kookaburras have been assigned an armed guard.

Paul Marsh, the Australian Cricketers' Association chief executive, agreed the threat level in India had escalated, but said changes to IPL players' travel plans would not be made until closer to their departure date.

"We've gone from a situation where the threat levels in India have been concerning in recent times but now your looking at a probably legitimate, direct threat against the event,” he said.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which organizes the IPL, said it would be seen as an insult if any Australian players pulled out because of safety concerns.

“It won't be seen in a good light. They must come, so they should believe the assurances being given by the government," spokesman Rajiv Shukla told Australian radio.

Lalit Bhanot, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee secretary general, also downplayed the threats.

"We have taken that responsibility, we will provide them security and our government, our police, home ministry, the OC (organizing committee), everybody here is committed to providing them security cover,” Mr Bhanot said.