New Zealand to play in hockey World Cup despite terror threat

WELLINGTON - New Zealand’s hockey team will leave for India later Monday to take part in the hockey World Cup that begins in New Delhi next Sunday. Officials had earlier put the team’s departure on hold following an Al Qaeda threat to international sports events in India. But they have now decided in favour of participation.

The team, called the Black Sticks, will fly out of Australia’s Perth city as originally planned despite warnings from terror group Al Qaeda that warned against participation in sports events in India, New Zealand Herald reported Monday.

Last week, officials had decided that the team would remain in Perth after their two practice matches against Australia ended Friday but coach Shane McLeod said Sunday they would depart as scheduled and take their place in pool A when the World Cup starts.

DPA adds: Hockey officials said Monday they had assessed advice from the New Zealand government and an independent adviser on security arrangements in India.

“The detail we have received has reassured us that the required level of security is in place, therefore we have kept the team in the tournament,” said Hilary Poole, chief executive of Hockey New Zealand.

Poole said one player, Simon Child, had made a personal decision to pull out.

She said Hockey New Zealand had been closely liaising with other nations, “all of whom still plan to participate”.

The Asia Times online newspaper said it had received a message Feb 15 from guerrilla commander Ilyas Kashmiri, whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of Al Qaeda, indicating the tournament and other scheduled sporting events in India this year would be targeted.

The warning also referred to next month’s Indian Premier League cricket competition and the Commonwealth Games, to be held in New Delhi in October.