South African Prepration for FIFA World Cup
Saturday, January 2, 2010
South African authorities say they are ready to deal with the threat of a terror attack during the 2010 World Cup next summer.
Reassurances were made after aviation security at major airports and on airlines around the world was stepped up following the foiled Christmas Day bomb attack on a U.S. airliner. Some 450,000 football fans are expected to visit South Africa for the June 11 to July 11 tournament.
While South Africa is not a major terrorist target, national police spokesman Vish Naidoo said that "in view of the 31 other countries participating in the games there is the potential for the threat of a terror attack".
"To counter this we have launched proactive and reactive plans which include the intervention and the assistance of Interpol in the creation of databases of dangerous and disruptive persons,” he told the Pretoria News.
"These databases will include all persons involved in all forms of organised crime, ranging from terrorism to gun smuggling and hooliganism. No one whose name is on the database will be allowed into the country."
Naidoo also said many terrorist-simulation exercises had been conducted for various scenarios, including chemical, biological and radioactive attacks.
More than 50,000 security personnel are to be deployed during the World Cup, he added. The South African government is also in entering into agreements with participating countries, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to boost security planning.
He said security preparations started when the country was awarded the World Cup in 2004, insisting “if anyone asks us to host the competition tomorrow, from a security perspective, we are more than ready”.
Danny Jordaan, CEO of the World Cup organizers, has spent the past year offering reassurances over security and safety for players, officials and football fans at the first ever African World Cup.
He has emphasised time and again the country’s experience in hosting world-class sporting events including the rugby and cricket World Cups, which passed without major security incidents.
Naidoo said South Africa always planned “for any eventuality and don't need a wake-up call”.
Experts from South Africa’s Institute for Security Studies say terror attacks on the country could be mounted by local or internationally linked groups. Recently there have been rumours of the potential presence of Al Shabaab, a Somali youth militia group with supposed links in South Africa.
University of Pretoria criminologist Christiaan Bezuidenhout told the newspaper that the FBI had alerted South African authorities to the presence of people in the country who might be associated with terrorist cells. "The threats facing South Africa, which are very probable, are by both visible enemies using bombs and guns and by unseen attackers using cyber terrorism,” he said.
Written by Mark Bisson (mark@worldfootballinsider.com)
Labels: South Africa
posted @ 7:22 PM,
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