Police plan for 'unlikely' RWC terror attack

File photo / Richard Robinson

A terrorist attack during the Rugby World Cup next year is unlikely say police, but it is one of the scenarios being planned for, 500 days out from the opening ceremony.

They are also working with overseas police to ban criminals, intent on causing trouble during the tournament, from entering New Zealand.

Work on planning for the Rugby World Cup has been going on for 17 months and one of the more extreme events considered was a terrorist attack.

In the latest issue of the police magazine Ten One, the man in charge of police planning for the event, Superintendent Grant O'Fee, said police were actively considering how they would manage "any number of scenarios that could possibly occur.

"We have contingency plans which range from more probable events such as blocked access roads, IT and other infrastructure failures, to the more extreme but less likely events, such as a terrorist attack.

"As part of our risk planning process we are considering all of the possible permutations of matches, the likely reactions of supporters of various teams and which VIPs are likely to attend a particularly match," Mr O'Fee said.

Rugby supporters "as a rule" were well behaved at matches, he said.

"Those visiting New Zealand will have made a significant financial investment in getting to the games and are unlikely to want their enjoyment marred by any unwelcome engagement with local law enforcement."

Police had already carried out live testing of the plans and technology they would use during the tournament and Mr O'Fee had just returned from Zurich where he attended a Fifa briefing for police for the soccer World Cup in South Africa.

He said the trip showed the value of global intelligence sharing between police.

"Overseas policing agencies frequently share information about offenders who follow soccer teams around the world with a view to causing trouble."

He said it was also becoming more common for countries whose teams were playing soccer overseas to send their own police to help identify and monitor suspected offenders.

The National Intelligence Centre would work with police around the world and other government agencies to ensure "where ever possible, criminals planning to come to New Zealand will be excluded".

Mr O'Fee said the police also planned to use the community policing skills which were well developed in New Zealand.

Maori wardens and community patrols would also be used.

"I think the image of a Maori warden standing shoulder to shoulder with a police officer is a strong one and one that is not seen anywhere else in the world."

He said the community patrols were an invaluable public service and "could be a real asset at matches acting as eyes and ears for police".

- NZPA