CREDIBLE THREAT – AT 7:17 P.M. ET:  This one, reminding us that the war on terror is still red hot, kind of crept up on us.  From Fox:

The State Department has been providing South African police with extensive training after threats against the American and British teams during the world's most-watched sporting event.

We forget how popular soccer is around the world.

Al Qaeda has put the American and British soccer teams directly in its crosshairs, circulating word online that the athletes are prime targets for an attack at the World Cup Games in South Africa in June -- and the State Department has been providing South African police with extensive training in an effort to prevent a catastrophe at the most-watched sporting event in the world.

The threats from Al Qaeda target a range of teams competing at the World Cup, but the June 12 USA vs. England match, scheduled for live broadcast, is the terrorists’ top priority, according to threats published in an online Jihadist magazine.

“The game … is broadcast live. The stadium is full of a Crusader audience while the sound of a blast shocks the stands and turns the stadium on its head. God willing, there will [be] dozens and hundreds of casualties. 50 grams alone are sufficient for such an operation,” reads a post on the online magazine.

“All the inspection barriers and the x-ray screening machines the U.S. may send after reading this article will not bring about the discovery of the manner in which these explosives will be brought into the stadium, for a simple reason that will be made known at the appropriate time.”

The South African Ministry of Police says it is aware of the threats, and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security is providing support as the host country beefs up security in preparations for the tournament.

COMMENT:  Sporting events have been a traditional terror target.  The most horrible example, of course, was the murder of the Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic games.  A terror attack on the Super Bowl was the featured event in the popular novel, and film, "Black Sunday." 

I would take this threat very seriously.  Also, I'm far from convinced that the South African authorities, living in a country where they're routinely taught to hate the Americans and the British, are adequate to protect the teams. 

It's a little crazy to have a world-class event, and an obvious terror target, in an unstable country like South Africa, and we have a right to be concerned about our athletes.

April 9, 2010