Terror threat: Black Sticks reluctant to travel to India

The New Zealand men's hockey team will stay in Perth for the time being rather than travel on to India following terror threats against sports events there.

Yop guerrilla commander Ilyas Kashmiri, whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al Qaeda, the organisation blamed for the September 2001 attacks on New York City, has warned the international community not to send their people to the 2010 hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket competition involving international players and the Commonwealth Games, to be held in Delhi in October.

Hockey New Zealand said this afternoon that while the Black Sticks still planned to attend the hockey tournament in Delhi, which starts next week, it had decided to keep them in Perth until further notice.

The team is in Perth to play Australia in a two tests, tonight and on Friday.

The safety of the players, coaches and team management was of paramount importance and it made sense to further assess the situation before sending the team to Delhi, said Hockey NZ chief executive Hilary Poole.

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

Hockey New Zealand had been receiving security advice from the Government and hockey and cricket associations about the security situation in India, she said.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully's office was saying little about the threats today, other than to say the situation was being monitored closely and officials were liaising with representatives of the various sports bodies potentially affected by the threats.

Labour Party foreign affairs spokesman Chris Carter said recent terror attacks in India meant such threats had to be taken seriously.

However, he said he was confident Indian authorities had a good handle on the situation and wanted to see New Zealand sports teams continue with scheduled visits.

"My initial thoughts are to go - in fact you have to go - otherwise you give in to the terrorists," he said.

"I think our government and sports bodies need to work closely with the government of India to reassure themselves and their sports people and any New Zealand tourists that are going that every step is being taken to take people safe."

Mr Carter said he had discussed the security situation last night with Indian Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who is visiting New Zealand on a fellowship, and came away feeling confident India was very aware of the implications of the threats and was taking all possible steps to ensure safety.

Those travelling to India also needed to be aware of security risks and be sensible with their own travel arrangements, he said.

The Commonwealth Games are in Delhi this year while several top New Zealand cricketers play in the IPL.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee said it knew of the threat.

A spokeswoman said the committee was taking the matter seriously, and the team had been in contact with the New Zealand Combined Threat Assessment Group group, an inter-departmental anti-terrorism operation.

The Brigade's message implied involvement in a bombing at the weekend in the western Indian city of Pune, in which 10 people, including two foreigners, were killed.

"We, the mujahideen of 313 Brigade, vow to continue attacks all across India until the Indian Army leaves Kashmir and gives the Kashmiris their right of self-determination," it said.

The Times of India reported that last month the United States warned India that al Qaeda elements were likely to attack in Pune and Mumbai.

India has suffered several large-scale attacks orchestrated by Pakistani terrorists.

In late 2008, groups of terrorists stormed downtown Mumbai, targeting areas frequented by foreigners and leaving at least 170 people dead, most of them local residents.

Al Qaeda-aligned militants last March attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in the Pakistani city of Lahore.

- with NZPA