Labour says don’t give way to terrorist threats

The Labour Party backs the New Zealand Commonwealth Games hockey team’s decision to go to India next week and participate in October’s Commonwealth Games. This is despite of a threat made against every competing country’s athletes from militant Kashmiri groups with links to Al Qaeda.

Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Chris Carter said recent terror attacks in India, including last week’s bombing in Pune, meant threats have to be taken seriously in that country.

“However we have to recognise that almost every large international gathering now has some security risks,” Chris Carter said.


“Last night I spoke to the Secretary General of India’s ruling Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi, and he assured me that internal security is a key priority of India’s Government, and he believes they are making good progress in spite of last week’s attack.

“The National-Act Government will need to liaise closely with India’s Government to ensure that all security measures have been taken to keep our visitors safe.

“Naturally our athletes and visitors to India will have to make a judgement call as to whether they are prepared to travel. However Labour believes that boycotting sporting events in India this year would give the terrorists the victory they are seeking, to disrupt India’s international sports programme.”

“Labour is standing by our athletes. We want them to be safe, but we also believe that they should participate in the various sporting events that will be occurring in India this year.”

ASIO monitoring India security threat to athletes

AUSTRALIAN intelligence agencies are closely liaising with their Indian counterparts over threats by al-Qa'ida linked militants against participants in the Indian Premier League, hockey's World Cup and Commonwealth Games, Kevin Rudd said today.

The warning by a terror group calling itself the 313 Brigade is being taken seriously although no decision has been made to upgrade the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade travel advice for India, Mr Rudd told reporters.

"Indian authorities have pledged to implement strong security procedures for all upcoming sporting events in India.

"We, however will be following this very, very closely,'' the prime minister said.

Intelligence agencies in Australia were "keeping in closest possible liaison'' with their Indian counterparts in monitoring the threats, he added.

The group sent their message to the Asia Times Online following Saturday's bomb blast outside Pune's German bakery which killed 10 people, including foreigners.
"We warn the international community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League and Commonwealth Games.

"Nor should their people visit India, if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences," said wanted terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri.

In his message, wanted terrorist Kashmiri, the chief of the 313 brigade said: "We warn the international community to play its role in getting the Kashmiris their right to self-determination and preventing India from committing brutalities in Kashmir."

Kashmiri said his group would seek revenge for the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the 2002 Gujarat riots.

'I've worked on nine Commonwealth games and on nine Olympic games'

What does Commonwealth Games ­England do?

It is responsible for the preparation and participation of the England team in the Commonwealth games, which will be held in Delhi from 3-14 October this year. We do everything, including raising the money and putting all the arrangements in place for flights, uniforms and accommodation.

How long have you been involved with sports administration?

I got a job with the British Olympic Assoc­iation in 1972 as secretary to the administrative secretary. I became their third member of staff and it's just grown since then. I set up a separate office for ­Commonwealth Games England in 1994, and I've worked on nine Commonwealth games and on nine Olympic games. In 1994, I was the first woman general team manager of Team England.

What does your job entail?

I get involved at all levels. One day I'm rolling my sleeves up and moving boxes of uniforms, and the next I'm participating in a conference with other chief executives. No two days are the same. I meet lots of people and I just love it.

How is the organisation funded?

We receive lottery funding from Sport England for our preparation, but we have to raise all the money for participation and taking the team to the games.

Has the recession hit your fundraising?

It has. We also lost one sponsor after an article saying England was considering not taking part in the games because of security fears. There was no truth in it what­soever. We will be taking a team.

Are security fears a big challenge?

We are working very closely with police and all the authorities on security. We don't want our athletes to worry.

Any other big challenges?

As well as the fundraising, there is the actual administration work for the team itself. We have to work with the organising committee for the Delhi games, who have yet to announce their plans and procedures. There can be cultural issues. When the games were in Malaysia in 1998, the ­organising committee wasn't used to dealing with women in positions of responsibility. But once they did get to know me, we had good relationships.

Iain Duncan Smith's Centre for Social Justice thinktank says that major team sports and athletics in this country are dominated by people educated in public schools. What needs to be done to make top-level sport more inclusive?

The England team has a policy of inclusivity. There are no barriers to qualification for the team, other than sports standards and nationality eligibility. England competes at the Commonwealth games as one team, but each of the 17 sports has its own policies to increase participation.

What is your leadership style?

It's open and ­relaxed. At least, that's what ­people see on the outside, even if it's not ­necessarily quite like that on the inside.

Email taunts foreign athletes in India

Australian sporting bodies are alert but not alarmed by new terrorist threats against athletes due to compete in India.

A Pakistani militant with links to al-Qaeda, Ilyas Kashmiri, has warned the international community against sending competitors to the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket, hockey's World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, according to media reports.

The Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online website said Kashmiri sent the warning by email, Fairfax newspapers reported on Wednesday.

Chief executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association Perry Crosswhite said he had discussed the threats with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT).

"They're looking into it, as far as the validity of it, and also the authenticity of it," he told ABC Radio.

"At this point we haven't certainly changed anything."

Coach of the Australian men's hockey team Ric Charlesworth said he wasn't overly concerned either.

However, the Kookaburras, due to play in Delhi's World Cup event in 10 days time, have been assigned an armed guard.

"There are people who know better than us who are looking at these things closely," he said.

The Australian Cricketers' Association chief executive Paul Marsh agreed the threat level in India had escalated.

"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.

But changes to the travel plans of IPL players would not be made until closer to their departure date.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday said Australian authorities were in the "closest possible" contact with their Indian counterparts over the threats.

"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."

There was no immediate plan to upgrade the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's travel advisory for the country, Mr Rudd said.

Travellers are advised to exercise a high level of caution due to the threat of terrorism in India.

Goel to CVC: Order inquiry in delays of CWG projects

A delegation, led by former Union Minister Vijay Goel today met Central Vigilance Commissioner Pratush Sinha and demanded that a thorough inquest be order as to why the preparations for Games 2010 were delayed till 2008 even though the Games were allocated to India
in 2004. Both the Organising Committee and the Delhi Government which were making the preparations sat upon the matter up to a limit where the nation's prestige had been hurt, the delegation asserted in a letter submitted to the CVC.

The delay had led to heavy monetary losses to the nation due to cost escalations and the short time left was being misused to cover up the work orders now being given to favoured companies without going through the proper process of tendering, Mr Goel alleged.

The letter submitted to CVC specially cited the matter of the recent Republic Day tableau with the Commonwealth Games theme. The Central Vigilance Commissioner in turn has ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter of excessive expenditure on the Republic Day 2010 tableau.

It had been found that Commonwealth Games Organising Committee tendered for the Tableau work for Republic Day 2010 Parade in which Aukan Enterprises, NOIDA was the successful bidder and even a work letter was issued to that Company but later the same work was allocated to a totally new company for a reported amount of Rs 1 crore. Aukan Enterprises was never told that its work order has been withdrawn. Republic Day Parade guidelines clearly specified that tableau work would be given to companies having at least three years Republic Day Parade experience whereas the company which made the tableau this year with the Commonwealth Games theme had no experience.

It had come out that the tableau in this year's Republic Day Parade with Commonwealth Games theme was of the Sports Ministry but the tendering was done by the CWG Organising Committee which by itself violates the norms. The CVC assured Mr Goel that the Republic Day Parade tableau inquiry would be conducted by the senior most Technical Officer concerned at CVC and would submit the report within three months. As for the other matter raised by Mr Goel, the CVC assured him that the Commission would examine the matter and appropriate action would be initiated as per law.

Top Commonwealth organising committee official asked to go on leave

A top official of Commonwealth Games organising committee has been asked to go on indefinite leave after he came under the scanner of customs department which seized a diamond ring worth Rs28 lakh from a man who claimed that he brought it for the former.

TS Durbari, joint director general of the organising committee, has been asked to go on leave by CEO Jarnail Singh last Wednesday, sources said in New Delhi today.

Customs authorities seized the diamond ring from KD Mani, who works in a jewellery group operating in Dubai, when he landed in Kochi late last month.

During questioning, sources said, Mani took the name of Durbari. The CWG official could not be contacted for his version.

Darbari has been asked to go on leave till the probe is over and his name is cleared, sources said.

BHEL synchronizes 490 MW unit at Dadri Thermal Power Plant

Reiterating its commitment to the success of the Commonwealth Games to be held in October, 2010 in New Delhi, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has successfully synchronized the first 490 MW Unit at the National Capital Thermal Power Project (NCTPP) Stage-II, at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.

Significantly, this is the first indigenous unit equipped with a high temperature reheat steam turbine which has been designed for operating at a higher reheat steam temperature of 565 degree Celsius aimed at reducing the consumption of coal. The unit also comprises an advanced control, instrumentation and monitoring system.

The order for setting up 2 sets of 490 MW each at NCTPP was placed on BHEL by NTPC. BHEL`s scope of work in the contract envisaged manufacture, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of the main plant package for two units of 490 MW each.

NTPC has declared commercial operation of the unit. The second unit is also in an advance stage of erection and is expected to go on stream in time.

Notably, BHEL has also recently achieved drum lifting milestone of the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) at the 1,500 MW Pragati-III Combined Cycle Power Plant, coming up at Bawana in New Delhi, thereby achieving a major milestone towards supplying power to the Commonwealth Games.

For the Commonwealth Games, BHEL is also executing contracts for several other power projects including Koderma STPS (2x500 MW), Mejia STPS (2x500 MW) and Durgapur Steel STPS (2x500MW) of DVC and Jhajjar STPS (3x500 MW) of APCPL, in addition to Dadri STPS (2x490 MW) of NTPC and Pragati-III CCPP (1500 MW) of PPCL.

BHEL has been committed to the nation`s power development program and has reaffirmed its commitment to the Indian Power Sector by equipping itself for the future, by way of technology, facilities and trained manpower to meet the country`s power forecast for the 11th Plan and beyond. For this, it is further augmenting its manufacturing capacity to 20,000 MW by 2011-12.

Shares of the company gained Rs 35.5, or 1.51%, to trade at Rs 2,388. The total volume of shares traded was 92,090 at the BSE (3.30 p.m., Tuesday).

Police allays security concerns over CWG, Hockey World Cup

Delhi Police allayed security concerns over the World Cup Hockey tournament to be held here this month and Commonwealth Games in October, saying adequate safety measures were being taken.

City Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal's assurance came against the backdrop of terror attack in Pune and reports that Delhi could also be targeted.

"All security arrangements have been made for the World Cup Hockey and Commonwealth Games....We see no threat to the Commonwealth Games," Dadwal told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.

He was responding to a question whether there is any security threat to the Commonwealth Games and World Cup Hockey in the backdrop of the terror attack in Pune which claimed nine lives.

The World Cup hockey will be held at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium near India Gate from 28th February to 12th March in which 12 teams including hockey majors India, Pakistan, Germany, Australia and the Netherlands.

71 countries will participate in the Commonwealth Games to be held in various stadia here.

The renewed security concern over the sporting events came following a speech by Hafiz Abdur Rahman Makki, leader of terror outfit amalgam Jamaat-ul-Dawah, in which he named Pune, Delhi and Kanpur as "fair targets" of jehadis.Among them, Pune has already witnessed a bomb blast

Pvt security agencies make beeline to govt for services

A host of firms from the US, UK and other countries are offering latest gadgets and services to the Commonwealth Games organisers to ensure foolproof security for the mega event in October.

Be it security, manpower management, construction and other logistical support, these agencies have a variety of equipment and technology for the Games, claim owners.

Representatives of these companies, mainly from Israel, UK and the US are offering bullet proof jackets, security and surveillance gadgets, locking system and intelligence software.

"There are a lot of products mainly related to Homeland services which can help government in many ways. We are approaching security agencies and other concerned authorities to get some business association," said Offer Einav, CEO of Tops-Securegate, a joint venture between two Indian and Israeli firms.

Einav is pitching for its TriGateTM to help in intelligence mapping and identification of threats and loopholes in protecting assets, infrastructure and sites.

There is no official valuation of the Indian security market but experts put the figure at about $600 million.

Armoured carriers, anti-riot equipments, bullet proof clothing, night vision devices, surveillance and counter surveillance equipment, radar tracking devices, electronic devices inclusive of command and control systems and wireless and communication equipment are among the high-tech gadgets on offer.

President of Central Association of Private Security Industries Kunwar Vikram Singh said "there are lot of roles for private agencies especially during Commonwealth Games. We are holding discussions with different authorities in this regard."

Around 11,557 security professionals from across the globe dealing in safety equipments have displayed their high-end products during an exhibition here last year. The organisers have claimed to generate business of over Rs 400 crore from the event.

Al Qaeda threat: Centre says security tightened for sporting events

The Centre today said security arrangements are being tightened for the sporting events, including the World Cup Hockey and the Commonwealth Games, coming up in Delhi.

The assertion comes in the wake of a threat issued by top al Qaeda terrorist commander Ilyas Kashmi warning the international community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League and the Commonwealth Games. Home Secretary G K Pillai said adequate security arrangements have been made for the events. ''We are in close touch with the managements of the participating teams. So far they have seen our preparations and are satisfied by the measures that are being taken by the Home Affairs Ministry and the Delhi police.

There is a well-rehearsed drill in place.'' Elaborate security arrangements for the World Cup Hockey, beginning from February 28 have been put in place. The Ministry decided to review the security measures for the Commonwealth Games and the Indian Premier League in view of the blast in the German Bakery in Pune's posh Koregaon Park, which killed nine people.

Full security for Commonwealth, sporting events: Dadwal

Elaborate security measures were in place for the Hockey World Cup this month and the Commonwealth Games in October, Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal said Tuesday while addressing concerns following the Pune bombing.

"We see no threat to the Commonwealth Games," Dadwal told reporters on the sidelines of Delhi Police's 63rd Raising Day parade.

He added that elaborate arrangements were in place for sporting events to be hosted by the national capital.

The Hockey World Cup, with 12 teams participating, is being held from Feb 28 to March 13. The Indian Premier League cricket tournament is also being held in March, before the Commonwealth Games in October.

Delhi has been on high alert since Saturday after a blast in Pune that left 10 people dead and many injured.