JOHANNESBURG South Africa has ruled out any terrorism threat to the FIFA 2010 World Cup taking place in the country next month, with the countrys police chief insisting that a terrorism threat believed to have been made by a North African group had been investigated and there was no need to worry. “There is no threat that we have discovered. We are ready to protect our visitors,” police General Bheki Cele said last Thursday.
Cele, who was addressing journalists at King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal province during an event to showcase police capabilities ahead of the World Cup, said the reported terrorism threats by the North Africa he did nit name had been properly investigated and dealt with.
He said: “The threat was pursued to check whether it was valid. We have found the end of it and there is no need to worry.”
According to Cele, there had been reports that the group had said that it would be pleased to see the bombing of the stadium where the United States team was playing during the World Cup.
He said the police would keep a vigilant eye on eight countries regarded as high risk, among them the US and United Kingdom.
Several police units used the display last week to show how they would handle life-threatening situations such as plane hijackings and hostage situations during the World Cup.
The simulation showed how the police would deal with airborne and landborne threats. During the simulation, a hijacked plane was forced to touch down by a police helicopter.
Various police units, such as the bomb-disposal unit and search-and-rescue unit, and snipers and hostage negotiators were on the scene.
The exercise, held at the airport’s cargo section, was attended by senior officials of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government.
Post published in: Football