IPL terror fears ease after talks

BY AARON LAWTON

AUSTRALIA'S top cricketers are set to run the gauntlet and play the Indian Premier League after a leading government official made a whistlestop visit to New Zealand yesterday to deliver a secret briefing to players.

The decision by the Aussies is likely to strongly influence the six Black Caps also signed up for the rich Twenty20 tournament after they also were told the security threat against the IPL might be over-stated.

The key piece of information delivered by an Australian official from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) was that travel advice was unchanged from last year, when Australia visited India without being subjected to security dramas.

Members of the Australian Twenty20 squad who are contracted to Indian franchises attended the 20-minute briefing session in Christchurch after flying there following their crushing win over New Zealand in Wellington on Friday night.

Independent security consultant Reg Dickason and Australia Cricketers Association boss Paul Marsh were on a telephone hook-up. It is understood the players were told a recent threat from the al Qaeda-linked 313 Brigade was not credible.

"The travel advisory for India hasn't changed in 12 months," Cricket Australia general manager Michael Brown said after the meeting. "The purpose today was just to give the players as much information as possible. DFAT said they would be happy to give the players a personal briefing.

"The reality is you've got to make your decisions based on the best information. The advice simply from the government is that the travel advisory for India hasn't changed.

"It doesn't mean it can't change between now and the start of the tournament.

"No decisions were made today. It was purely an information session. We want people to make informed decisions."

The DFAT website warns visitors to India to exercise a high degree of caution because of the high risk of terrorism by militant groups. But it has not upgraded its warning since the direct threat from the 313 Brigade – which listed the Hockey World Cup, the IPL and the Commonwealth Games as targets.

The Kookaburras have already proceeded to Delhi after receiving the same advice from DFAT. New Zealand's Black Sticks are also there.

Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers (Fica), said it was regrettable players were still unclear about security arrangements for the tournament and warned there could still be mass withdrawals. Franchises are refusing to divulge details of their security plans

"There is just 13 days before the start of the tournament and security arrangements have still not been agreed," he warned.

"We would love to tell the players it is okay for them to go – after all, we are the only party involved that isn't conflicted here and doesn't stand to profit from the IPL. But we can't give that assurance at the moment because no one will say definitively that the security plan will be implemeted at each of the venues."

Cricket Australia is still awaiting the IPL's response to a list of demands relating to the implementation of security plans.

Dickason will then file a second report, which Australian captain Ricky Ponting argued strenuously at a meeting of players in Sydney last week should be the guiding force in determining whether the players go to India or not.

Ponting arrives in New Zealand today as Brown and the DFAT official fly home after less than 24 hours in Christchurch.

New Zealand Cricket Players Association boss Heath Mills confirmed he had also been given advice the 313 Brigade threat was now thought to be "non-credible".

But he warned against assuming that now cleared the way for Black Caps Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and Shane Bond to travel to the IPL.

"There's more information coming to hand that might prove at least one of the threats isn't credible. However, that's only one threat.

"What we need to remember is there have been other threats made and, given the current climate in India, you would have to say it is highly likely there will be more terrorist activity in the short term."

"Of course, that by itself doesn't mean you don't go but it certainly means your security plan and the level of resource committed to it needs to be first class."

Mills said when he met with the affected Black Caps on Thursday and all reiterated their concerns about travelling to India.

"Our guys are still concerned about going," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News