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Game on? The Delhi question

Paul Colgan

by Paul Colgan

17 Feb 10:44am

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Filed under: Al Qaeda, Commonwealth Games, Security, Sport, Terrorism

43 comments

Who’s going to say it first? Surely in the prickly conversations going on through the ranks of Australian sport and diplomacy, many people are suggesting it: that we shouldn’t be going to the Commonwealth Games.

Major Dhyanchand hockey stadium, in New Delhi which will host the hockey World Cup and Commonwealth Games events. Pic: AP

It is one thing to take your own life in your hands by getting on a toboggan and going down an ice chute but it is quite another for governments and sporting authorities to send athletes to a place where people are threatening to kill them.

Following today’s threat of a terrorist attack on the Games in New Delhi from an al-Qaeda offshoot the stakes have been raised to vertigo-inducing levels. Fox Sports reports today:

Ilyas Kashmiri has reportedly warned the international community against sending competitors to the Commonwealth Games in October, cricket’s Indian Premier League and the hockey World Cup.

The Hong Kong-based Asia Times online said the guerilla commander, the head of the al-Qaeda-affiliated 313 Brigade, sent it the warning by email. ‘‘We warn the international community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth Games. Nor should their people visit India - if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences,’’ the Asia Times quoted Kashmiri as saying…

Indian security expert B. Raman said Kashmiri ‘‘is a well-known terrorist figure in Pakistan, so this has to be closely followed up’‘.

‘‘He has a record of indulging in terrorism. The Americans … and the Indians are closely watching his activities, so they will step up their watch.’’ But he warned that Kashmiri was ‘‘in the habit of making tall claims’‘.

I don’t think cliches often make the best advice but in this case it’s a case of better safe than sorry. There is plenty of precedent for cancelling events on the basis of terrorist threats - including a juggling of the entire international cricket plans after the gun attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team.

“But then the terrorists will win” will be a fairly standard retort to anyone who suggests pulling out. It’s not of quite the same order but think about it this way: the next time a guy is caught with something looking like, just maybe, C4 strapped to his pants in an airport why don’t we get him on board and see what happens?

 

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43 comments

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    • acker says:

      10:00am | 17/02/10

      It’s also easier for the general public and media to be brave and say they should go and not shirk it, when it is not their brother, sister, son, daughter, father, mother or friend that is going over. Australia has ont handled the Indian bashings well, neither has India.

      Reply

    • CJ says:

      10:14am | 17/02/10

      That’s an interesting take on the subjct, Colgo.
      I agree your C4-in-the-pants hypothesis is a bit OTT, and perhaps this one is too:
      Next time Osama Bin Laden urges Jihadis to slaughter thel infidels (you and me) unless we all convert to Islam, should we all convert to Islam - just to be safe?

      Reply

    • John A Neve says:

      10:40am | 17/02/10

      CJ,
      In answer to your question, that depends what value you place on being “safe”.

      The rael question should be, does the Commonwealth games have any real value?

      Or is it in fact just a form of entertainment?

    • Stiffy says:

      10:41am | 17/02/10

      The threat was issued by the terrorist group 313 brigade who have claimed responsibility for the bomb which recently went off in the indian city of Pune. So the the threat must be taken seriously. It firstly is up to the International hockey body, FIH, to make an assessment of security for the world cup event to go ahead. It hits off in just over a weeks time. FIH have stated that full details of security arrangements for the World Cup to be made clear by the weekend. The Australian Government needs to also give advice on this. There is currently no advice bulletin on smarttraveler. It needs to give advice on this.

      Reply

    • fluffy says:

      10:59am | 17/02/10

      “the next time a guy is caught with something looking like, just maybe, C4 strapped to his pants in an airport why don’t we get him on board and see what happens?”

      well thats pretty much what happened.  this bombers own father had informed the authorities of his concerns..  and yet, despite everything.. he still gets on… without a passport even..

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdF7SX5DgBA

      and @ CJ, its commonly acknowledged that OBL had serious kidney problems - chances are very good hes been dead for years.

      and i dunno if his concern was about your personal religious belief, or that he hated your freedoms, im pretty sure his problem with america was primarily american foreign policy, especially in regard to israel.

      Reply

    • CJ says:

      11:19am | 17/02/10

      That’s why I said it was hypothetical, genius.

    • Average Joe says:

      10:59am | 17/02/10

      As the father of an athlete expected to qualify for the Comm Games I’m concerned for her safety. There’s no doubt that the team will have heavy security - If the team goes then the Australian Govt must absolutely ensure that it’s sufficient.
      On the other hand, this is one major event that Mum & Dad won’t be attending to support her - there’s no security for spectators outside of the venues.

      Reply

    • shabangabang says:

      11:01am | 17/02/10

      Lets see if this gets posted or moderated.
      The security concerns surrounding the Comm Games in Delhi highlight the differing mentalities between our two nations.
      When there are security concerns possibly affecting Australians travelling to India, we look for who, what, where and why. No hysteria required.
      Put the shoe on the other foot, security concerns for Indians in Australia, the Indian media immediately play the race card.
      I for one would not go. No sport is worth going to a nation that cannot guarantee security for those participating.

      Reply

    • Kim says:

      02:25pm | 17/02/10

      I agree shabangabang.  Maybe we should just move the commonwealth games to a different country like maybe australia !

    • rohan says:

      06:28am | 18/02/10

      Oh, so it was terrorists doing all the violence in Melbourne is it? Thanks for clearing that up.

      Didn’t they move the IPL to South Africa because of concerns last year?

      To ensure that terrorists dont win, a united front is required. If not, maybe you should start looking at what type of “hijab’ to wear

    • Etrix says:

      02:40pm | 25/02/10

      shabangabang - Bang Bang to you smile...your govt is spending billion of dollars in Afghanistan to curb terrorism right… if they are really serious about curbing terrorism then they should put diplomatic pressure on Pakistan govt to ensure that their intelligence agency (ISI) does not directly or indirectly encourage or support any terrorist activities in India. Fortunately Australian athletes are brave people. You go and whinge about India somewhere else.

    • kel says:

      11:03am | 17/02/10

      It’s a horrible situation really. If talented sports men & women miss out on their dreams because of bully tactics & threats by terrorists - that is a very sad thing.
      However, if something awful happened to them over there - that is much worse!
      No offence to India who are not at fault here - but personally, I think it’s a shame they were awarded the games.

      Reply

    • Etrix says:

      02:49pm | 25/02/10

      I see you are quite jealous of what India has achieved in just 60 years after independence… This is natural for someone like you who hasn’t achieved anything meaningful in life to feel that way… I have full sympathetic to you… As saying goes Elephant does not get distracted when dogs bark at them…

    • Concerned Aussie says:

      07:51am | 27/02/10

      Fully agree with Etrix… I think India very well deserve to host the games. This event will reflect to other members of Commonweatlh & other new countries that with right attitude & approach every nation can economically grow like India has… definitely there lot of issues to tackle in India still but at least Indians are walking in the right direction issues will be resolved down the line… Its barely 60 years…

      Australian govt should support in every possible manner to ensure games are successful if they are serious about War on Terror… & if they want to act as American puppet by sending troops to Afghanistan but ignore terrorist threat in the neighbourhood then they are biggest hypocrites & coward & this is not a reflection of brave Australians… Moreover it will also show how serious we are really about Commonwealth… or we just there standing in corner & will tolerate that other member states of Commonwealth can be roughed by act of terror… question is not whether we should participate or not… now question is are we encouraging or discouraging terror… though we have committed troops in Afghanistan… Bit harsh but thats what’s the punch is all about…

    • Lady Fong says:

      11:15am | 17/02/10

      It is very sad and horrible. But is asking WHY terrorists are targetting democracies a do not enter, no go, cop free zone?

      Reply

    • acker says:

      11:18am | 17/02/10

      With all the negative media Australia has recently rightly or wrongly received in India, who’s to say that some parts of the Indian security Hindu, Siehk, Muslim, Christian or whatever think “who cares it’s only an Aussie”

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      11:51am | 17/02/10

      Treading a fine line there acker, but I think I might agree with you

    • Duke says:

      04:07pm | 17/02/10

      its sikh, philistine ..............

    • iansand says:

      11:19am | 17/02/10

      What about briefing the athletes about the potential problems and let them decide for themselves?

      Reply

    • JdR says:

      01:11pm | 17/02/10

      The terrorism is in the threat here people.  By threatening you, and you reacting, this terrorist has terrorised you.  Game over.

      Reply

    • CSallen says:

      01:34pm | 17/02/10

      yep, that’s pretty much what they’re about!
      Look at what has happened in Pakistan- the Cricketers get targeted and shot and the few ruin the sport for the many. Pakistani Cricketers now have to leave the country to play world class Cricket and if you watch even a small amount of the sport you can tell the impact this has had on the game in that country.
      There is a very real possibility of this happening in India and thus isolating a beautiful country from the rest of the world due to the actions of a few extremists.
      I say take the chance with sport- albeit a heavily guarded chance. Who’s to say that the threats are not just empty?

    • AFR says:

      01:37pm | 17/02/10

      Statistically you would be a greater chance getting killed on your way to the airport in Sydney or Melbourne.

      Reply

    • Steve Smith says:

      02:06pm | 17/02/10

      Statistically you can say anything and sound right.

    • Andrew Lewis says:

      02:15pm | 17/02/10

      It’s the end of the Commonwealth Games if either England or Australia do not attend.

      Reply

    • Charles Kelly says:

      10:02am | 18/02/10

      I don’t think that’d be such a bad thing.

    • Kim says:

      02:31pm | 17/02/10

      Didn’t we have the same problem with the Olympic Games in 1980?  The athletes then decided whether or not they wanted to go.  Some did, some didn’t and luckily, there wasn’t a problem, but, in the end the choice should belong to them.

      I also agree with JdR, personally, I wouldn’t let terrorists get the upper hand by threatening me.  That just plain thuggery.  Next you’ll all be saying “But if I leave my house I might run into a terrorist with C4 strapped to his thigh.” 

      Maybe we should all just hide under our beds and hope they go away.

      Reply

    • John A Neve says:

      03:41pm | 17/02/10

      Kim,
      The terrorists already have the “upper hand”, it’s costing the western world. I won’t use the term free world because that is just a joke.

      The western world is paying $billions to try and combat this threat. The money would be better spent finding out what these people want. Then trying to accomodate them.

      We’ll never beat them with force.

    • Eric says:

      04:07pm | 17/02/10

      We already know what these people want, John.

      They want us to submit to worldwide Islamic rule.

    • Greg says:

      05:04pm | 17/02/10

      @John A Neve,

      The western world already knows what these terrorists associated with Al Quaeda want and unfortunately an islamic caliphate stretching from Spain to Indonesia is something the world is unprepared to concede to them. Like wise I don’t think the Christian ‘infidels’ are prepared to convert to Islam. If you don’t believe me about Al Quaeda’s objectives it only takes a couple of seconds to confirm it on the internet.

      I guess this means we can’t stop fighting them until we win. I personally object to accomodating these murderous idiots. Should we accomodate peadophiles, murderers and rapists as well? We can never stop them with force either.

      While you complain about the western world’s freedom being a joke, would you rather live in Iran or Cuba? I know western governments still have their problems but I’m afraid that I would rather that than some of the alternatives.

    • John A Neve says:

      05:57am | 18/02/10

      Greg,

      Neither you or Eric know what the terrorist are seeking.  I doubt the info on the internet is correet either. I’ll repeat for the umpteenth time, not all terrorist are seeking the same thing and they are not all Islamic extremists.

      In some ways people like you and Eric are almost as bad as they are, because you are blind to any view but your own.

      Yet again I’ll state you’ll never beat terrorism with force, many have tried and all have failed and you don’t need the internet to tell you that.

    • Stiffy says:

      07:03am | 18/02/10

      1980 was totally different. The Moscow Games were politiczed by many western countries who boycotted the games due to the then USSR’s invasion of Afganistan. How the world turns. In those days the US government were secretly supporting the taliban in their fight with the Ruskies. Many Australian Olympic Teams, including Hockey, chose to support the Fraser Government’s call to boycott. Others Associations, such as Swimming did not.

    • Eric says:

      07:04am | 18/02/10

      John, you should do some research to find out what the terrorists are seeking. Here’s a good place to start:

      http://www.jihadwatch.org/

      And while it’s true that not all terrorists are Islamic fundamentalists, the vast majority are, and they cooperate globally.

    • John A Neve says:

      08:20am | 18/02/10

      Eric,

      I believe you have missed the main point of my comments. I don’t really care who the terrorists are or what they want.

      They fact is “we” will not defeat them with violence, financially this ongoing “war” will cripple “us”.

      For every one we destroy another will take their place, their children will hate us, their wives and families will hate “us”. People unit against what they see as a common enemy.

      They have nothing to lose, we have everything to lose. Their lives can only get better, ours can only get worse.

      I don’t care Eric, if they walk around with bags over their heads, or eat with the fingers or wipe their bums with the other hand.

      They are wearing us down Eric, they are winning, can’t you see that?
      “We” need to try another tact, all this talk of sanctions, bombings, invasions etc are all so much B***S***.

    • Eric says:

      04:13pm | 18/02/10

      No, John, they are not winning or wearing us down.

      Just because you want to capitulate to anyone who threatens violence, that doesn’t mean the rest of us do.

      Terrorists can, and have been defeated. All it takes is the will to do so. Our society doesn’t quite have the will yet, but a few successful mass attacks will provide that.

      Also, you still seem ignorant of what the Islamic terrorists want. They don’t want the right to wear bags over their heads - they already have that. They want the right to force everyone else to wear bags over their heads. You might be happy to submit to religious tyrrany, but most people are not.

    • John A Neve says:

      05:01pm | 18/02/10

      Eric,

      I really cannot believe you,“there not winning or wearing us down”, says you.

      We are being x-rayed, eating with plastic knives & forks, emptying our pockets to get on a plane, worried about whether we should take part in sports events etc. On top of all this we are spending $millions on the ADF and getting our youg people killed.

      Come on Eric, get real, we cannot take a trick, we are even arguing amongst our selves as to whether their women can wear veils in Australia.

      Accept it Eric, we are going down the wrong path and it’s costing us.

    • Dan says:

      10:44pm | 18/02/10

      Eric, I always knew you were a joke. But that you would reference http://www.jihadwatch.org/ confirms it. What’s next? Reference a KKK website on race issues? You are ab absolute joke.

      BTW, the terrorists don’t care if we wear ‘bags’ over our heads (what a disgusting person you are), rather their focus is on foreign policy!

    • Matt says:

      03:07pm | 17/02/10

      It is certainly a threat designed to isolate India from the rest of the world. A clever tactic by Islamic extremists if their aim is to radicalise sections of the Indian community.

      If officials and athletes heed this warning, the world is basically saying we can’t beat terrorism.

      Maybe the world community should get on the front foot in India and make a combined effort to ensure all of the events threaten, go ahead without incident. Pull together the intelligence and security resources of all the countries who have held international events in recent years. Demonstrate that international competitions do have a higher purpose by uniting us all in a common peaceful goal. Spectators should also be encouraged up to the capacity of facilities available allowing for the necessary security.

      Even if they end up making a financial loss, the cost of this effort would be much less than the cost to the world if sections of India become occupied by Islamic extremist.

      If an extremist group managed a successful terrorist strike in Australia and then later we were hosting an international event, I hope the world would not abandon Australia if the terrorist group made further threats.

      Reply

    • Zeta says:

      04:08pm | 17/02/10

      Let’s be real here. Al Qaeda’s America/UK/Australia targeting division are pretty much the worst terrorists in the world. They’re useless. In the realm of useless criminals, they’re up there with those Sydney bikies whose idea of an assassination is drive past your house and shoot at your garage door. Because nothing strikes terror into the hearts of men like a few holes in your B&D.

      These guys got lucky. In fact, they didn’t really get lucky, because they tried to blow up the WTC once, failed, then had another crack a decade later while the very people trying to stop them weren’t looking. If I said to my boss, ‘look, I’ve bollocksed this job up, but let me have another go, it will take me 10 years, and I’ll have to make sure our competitor has sacked my equivalent for being gay. Is that cool?’ I’d be taken out the back and shot, and not in the rolla door either.

      Since then, Al Qaeda tried to put bombs into shoes. Because shoes aren’t something that, I don’t know, a security guard could make you take off or anything. And after the shoe bombing episode failed, they upgraded… to jocks. ‘Shoes didn’t work Osama, what should we try next?’ ‘We will betray them using their own heathen under garments!’ Bombs in jocks. Another failure.

      But those Indian Al Qaeda off shoots are HARD CORE. It’s like comparing Cobra Commander with Hannibal Lecter. They should be rightly feared.

      1. They realised the ridiculousness of suicide bombings. Indian Muslim Extremists figured out that throwing bombs, at people, is a more effective way of carrying out a terror attack. Because you could conceivably throw two.

      2. They realised that bombs are not always enough. Better to throw a bomb, have it explode, and then shoot the survivors.

      Osama Bin Laden is just letting the team down. Next he’ll be trying to build a weather controlling beam, or a death ray. It’s the Indian terrorists we need to be scared of. They have the most deadly weapon in the human arsenal: common sense.

      Reply

    • Al says:

      11:31pm | 17/02/10

      Zeta, you are quite right.  OBL has done nothing in ten years except send a couple of tapes to the suck-holes at al-jezera, who should all be charged with consorting with criminals.  If twin-towers wasn’t a crime against humanity, then nothing ever will be, but you won’t hear al-jezera screeching for OBL and his cronies to be charged with that.  And while we are on the topic, David Frost is championing al-jezera, an organisation that, under the pretence of “alternate views”  is a willing mouthpiece for people trying to kill British troops and succeeds on an almost weekly basis.  So how does the word traitor fit into this scenario, I wonder?  Kashmiri, OBL and the rest should be hunted like dogs and their bodies burnt on a pyre fueled with pig fat.  And they should know that that will be their fate no matter how long it takes or what it costs.  India should jump all over Kashmir right now and drive Kashmiri and the rest of his ilk out of the place.  India will never secure its borders until Kashmir is cleansed of all of the people who have world domination as a political objective disguised as a religion.  Pakistan is a failed state and the sooner the world’s biggest democracy takes steps to clean up the mess on its north western border the better.  And OBL can then make another tape, if he is still alive, that is.

    • Frank says:

      04:55pm | 17/02/10

      I dont think that about the tsecurity, Im more concerned about the child labour that is used to build the venues.

      Reply
 
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