Security tightened at Asian Cup after threat warnings

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-11 09:07

BANGKOK, July 10 - Security arrangements at the Asian Cup are being tightened after intelligence reports warned of possible terrorist threats in two of the four host nations.

Police in Thailand have already beefed up security in Bangkok after army intelligence reports suggested separatists in the rebellious Muslim south might take their insurgency to the capital.

The Australian government has also warned its citizens to reconsider travelling to Indonesia, which will host the Asian Cup final on July 29, because of the imminent threat of a terrorist attack.

Vietnam and Malaysia are the other nations hosting the 16-team tournament.

Representatives of the Australian team, who are playing their group matches in Bangkok, were due to meet the Thailand ambassador on Tuesday for a briefing on plans to protect players and spectators.

John Boultbee, the head of high performance for the Australians, said he was in constant contact with the government about the latest security situation and was confident with the AFC's arrangements.

"We're monitoring it as we have been all along," Boultbee told Reuters.

"Every place we go, whether it be Europe or Asia or wherever, we're constantly getting the latest information.

"The government's always very cautious and we listen to them.

"Indonesia is a place where Australians need to be a bit more vigilant... but we've had a full briefing security from the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) and we're satisfied with the arrangements."

TAKING PRECAUTIONS

The AFC, which is in charge of security operations during the tournament, would not comment on the latest warnings, but had said they were taking every precaution.

"Security issues are very important," AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam told a news conference on the eve of the tournament.

"We are satisfied with the measures we have in place."

Australia have been warning their citizens about travelling to Indonesia since the 2002 Bali bomb blasts, which killed 202 mostly foreign holidaymakers, including 92 Australians.

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard said the latest warning was based on intelligence reports, although the government did not know of any specific threat.

"We only give these warnings on strong intelligence. We act on the advice of our agencies," Howard told Australian television.

"We are the last country in the world to want to say anything unnecessarily serious about Indonesia."

On Tuesday, Thai police said that Bangkok residents should expect tighter security in places such as airports and department stores after they ordered more checkpoints and patrols, especially in Muslim communities.

Around 13,000 soldiers are permanently on standby in Bangkok after a military junta seized power in a bloodless coup last year.

Police Colonel Supisarn Bhakdinarinath said the authorities feared a repeat of last year's New Year's Eve bombs which killed three Thais and wounded nearly 40 people.

It is unclear who planted the New Year's Eve bombs, although some police explosives experts have said the devices bore the hallmarks of the southern militants, who have waged the three-year insurgency in which more than 2,300 have been killed.