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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Threat to world cup finals worries Chidambaram

Threat to world cup finals worries Chidambaram

By Onkar Singh
March 24, 2011 11:51 IST
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Union home minister, P Chidambaram, is a worried man. He has to ensure that the Wankhede Stadium is fully secured so that the final of the cricket World Cup passes off peacefully and no terrorist is allowed inside the stadium.

According to intelligence reports, terror groups Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Toiba have sent terror squads to India to disrupt World Cup matches, particularly the final.

- 'Serious' terror threat to World Cup final

- The 2011 World Cup

"We are not taking any chances and are resorting to adequate security measures to ward off threat to the matches. We have put systems in place and we would ensure that they work," said a senior ranking official of the Union home ministry who is directly handling the World Cup security.

What has added to the worries of the home ministry is the report that over 5000 Pakistanis have been issued visas for the semi-final match at Mohali on March 30th.

Pakistan has already reached the semi-finals by crushing West Indies by 10 wickets on Wednesday. Their rivals will be known at the end of Australia and India quarter-final to be played today in Ahmedabad.

The home ministry's intelligence bureau has sent spotters to keep an eye on those entering India by Waga Border to watch the game on March 29.

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Onkar Singh in New Delhi

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