JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The World Cup could be vulnerable to a terrorist attack, despite repeated South African assurances that the tournament is safe and the discovery of what looks like a half-baked plot hatched in Iraq.
The recent arrest in Iraq of Abdullah Azzam al-Qahtani, an alleged al Qaeda supporter who says he was planning an attack on the Dutch and Danish teams, has revived debate on whether the soccer spectacular in South Africa faces a threat of this kind.
South African officials have long said their respected non-aligned status and the lack of any substantial local support for militant groups should insulate them from terrorism.
Both the government and soccer's governing body FIFA, which is cooperating with foreign security agencies and Interpol, say no viable threat has been identified.
Although most experts say Qahtani's scheme appeared far from posing a serious threat, they believe terrorism cannot be ruled out because of the huge attention that even a small attack would get during the June 11-July 11 World Cup.
"It is the biggest sports event in the world. Although South Africa might think we are beyond the interests of groups like al Qaeda, the event is the target, not the country," said Anneli Botha, from the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria.
"What makes South Africa so unique? Yes, we are not involved in Iraq or Afghanistan, but unfortunately the tremendous media coverage you are going to get will definitely attract not only al Qaeda but I think even smaller groups," she told Reuters.
Continued...
Friday, May 21, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ex-Somali Police Commissioner General Mohamed Abshir
Sultan Kenadid
Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan
Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire
Designation of Al-Shabaab
SOMALI REPUBLICANS
About Us
The Foundation is dedicated to networking like-minded Somalis opposed to the terrorist insurgency that is plaguing our beloved homeland and informing the international public at large about what is really happening throughout the Horn of Africa region.
Blog Archive
-
▼
2010
(2294)
-
▼
May
(229)
- Salah Donyale Receives Hero’s Welcome in Bosaso, P...
- Man arrested after US forces flight to divert,..Ma...
- AFP Somali reporter wins CNN African journalist award
- Should Sharif Hassan ‘Speaker of the House’ be cha...
- Al-Ittihad al-Islamiyya and Political Islam in Som...
- jihad TV Coming Soon to a neighborhood near you...
- UN envoy to leave office
- Moderate Muslims gain ground in Somalia
- S Africa 'risks World Cup terror attack'
- SOMALIA: Nato Commanders Meet with Puntland Offici...
- The Buhodleh and Widhwidh Massacre: an opportunity...
- Happy Memorial Day
- Somalia will be peaceful one day
- Sugar and arms barons rule Somali border
- Kenya Security Officials Probe al-Shabab Attack Mo...
- Al Qaeda supporter pleads guilty to supporting ter...
- the Rest of the Block Party Pictures.
- Rwanda Arrests U.S. Lawyer on Genocide Charge
- RUSSIAN ANTI PIRACY OFF SOMALIA, Navy releases acc...
- British Treaty with Somaliland Tribes, Looking back
- Somalia and the Ethiopian Invasion of Buuhoodle
- Lost in translation: security training for Somalia
- Somalia Half Talaban parliament elects new speaker
- Shabaab attacks Kenyan civilians
- Weekly Homeland Security News Briefing
- Amisom Troops Vow to Defend Against Al Shabaab Attack
- Texas man convicted of conspiring to aid Taliban
- Somali official worries refugees seeking US asylum...
- Picture of the Day , What's going to happen 20...
- BATTLE FOR SOMALIA: DIPLOMATS VOW SUPPORT, INSURGE...
- EU-led training Somalis in Uganda as part of its s...
- From Failed Bombings to Armed Jihadist Assaults
- US Cautions Ethiopia on Election Flaws
- Somalia militia attack Kenya village 5 injure...
- 400 Somaliland’s separatist militia stranded in Wi...
- The Somali al Shabaab ‘infiltrator’ threat to Amer...
- The worlds worst failed state.. Al-Qaida's newest...
- Dangerous Political and Military Conflict in the S...
- In Somalia's war, a new challenger is pushing back...
- Feds Issue Terror Watch for the Texas/Mexico Border
- Somalia, state of the nation, May 25th 2010
- The Traditional Leader Of Sool, Sanaag And ayn Reg...
- Ethiopian and their Allies of Somali Militiamen (S...
- Obama doctrine to make clear no war on Islam: aide
- Tavis Smiley -Highlight - Ayaan Hirsi Ali Activi...
- Richard Engel on Somalia: It's 'Like You Are Repor...
- Amanda Lindhout speaks out for women in Somalia
- Somali Terrorist on the Loose in Texas?
- Inside mogadishu, most failed & dangerous city in ...
- When SNM terrorist occupiers call their victims ...
- David Beckham visits troops in Afghanistan
- Dr. J. Peter Pham
- World must act now to bring peace to war-torn Soma...
- Somaliland vs Somalia - INSIDE STORY - Al Jazeera ...
- Shirqoolkii ay maganaayeen kooxda SDSI oo fashilma...
- First European trial of Somali pirates opens in th...
- AMISOM Committed to Somali Government
- Al Qaeda reaps recruits from Somali refugees in Yemen
- Comment On Ansar Al Mujahideen: alhamdulilah, just...
- U.S. Is Said to Expand Secret Military Acts in Mid...
- Ogaysiis: Ku socda Jaaliyadda Beesha Sade ee UK.
- Early results: Ethiopia's ruling party won vote, M...
- U.S. destroyer shadows ship under pirate control
- Massacare by the One Clan Milita of Secessionist S...
- Rebels vow to capture Somali presidential palace ...
- 400 Somalis to get EU-led training
- Alleged Somali Pirates Face Trial In The Netherlands
- South Africa encouraging peace process in Somalia ...
- The Buhodleh Massacre and its link to the trib...
- Turkey conference on Somalia ends with declaration
- Al-Shabaab bans use of prayer beads
- Militants fire mortars at Somali president's palac...
- 4 arrested over Al-Shabaab links
- Nations declare support to Somalia
- Confronting a Resilient al-Qa'ida: The United Stat...
- İstanbul hosts major Somalia conference at critica...
- UN Envoy’s Wrong Prescription
- Ethiopian ruling party expected to win May 23 poll...
- Mustafe Galaal oo si wayn loogu soo dhaweeyay Maga...
- Ethiopian troops cross border, clash with Somalis....
- Ethiopia Massacre in Buhotle Town SSC region of ...
- Somali Islamists storm radio station,Somalia: Radi...
- Somalia's Islamist Al Shabaab Threatens Kenyan wit...
- Why Kenyans joined Somali war
- ANALYSIS - Terrorism could be threat to World Cup
- Ban arrives in Turkey to attend international summ...
- Ugandan soldier killed in Somalia
- Kenyan Government Investigates Possible Pirate Tie...
- US travelers to terror havens a growing worry
- Bin Laden's deputy lauds slain Al Qaeda leaders
- Weekly Homeland Security News Briefing
- Pirate on US wanted list arrested in Somalia
- Djibouti warns UN of disintegration of war-torn So...
- Somali parliamentarian Congratulate Prime Minist...
- Pirates or Protectors?
- Welcome To Hell
- Somalia-based American jihadist using Rap music to...
- Somal Hawiye Talaban president reverses decisio...
- This African hot spots the focus of Security Counc...
- White House holds security meeting with Columbus m...
-
▼
May
(229)
Al-Qaida in Somalia. ...
We Are Winning the War on Terrorism in Horn of Africa
The threat is from violent extremists who are a small minority of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, the threat is real. They distort Islam. They kill man, woman and child; Christian and Hindu, Jew and Muslim. They seek to create a repressive caliphate. To defeat this enemy, we must understand who we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for.
No comments:
Post a Comment