SYDNEY – Australia and New Zealand will send teams to the men’s field hockey World Cup in New Delhi this month despite a reported threat from an al-Qaeda-linked organization against competitors in sporting events in India.
The Asia Times Online website published a message reportedly from guerrilla commander Ilyas Kashmiri, whose Kashmir-based 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al-Qaeda. The message warns of potential attacks on the Hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League cricket tournament and the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year.
“We warn the international community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth Games. Nor should their people visit India – if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences,” Asia Times Online quoted a translated message as saying.
The message was not verified, but Asia Times Online said it had interviewed the leader of the group in October. (AP)