WC2010 Terrorism Looms

     Concrete threats against WC2010 surface


Police are in panic and try to track down and arrest two black criminals who threatened to murder and rob foreigners during this year's World Cup in interviews broadcast on local television channel e.tv.

Lashing out at e.tv, which broadcast the clandestine interviews on Friday evening, Police Minister Nathi Hoodie Mthethwa accused the station of "reckless harbouring of criminals". But group news editor Ben Said said it was e.News' duty to inform and make aware the public, and Mthethwa was as usual merely shooting the messenger.

Head of Crime Line Yusuf Abramjee said that as one of the government's partners in the fight against crime, they were equally disturbed over the threats. He agreed that it was e.News' duty to inform the public. "We are worried by the utter-ances made by these two self-confessed criminals on a national platform like e.tv. "These two criminals have tormented police publicly and caused mayhem. They must therefore be brought to book and we appeal to anyone with information to help," he said.

The footage had both black criminals' identities hidden - one with a white stocking pulled over his head, the other filmed while loading a firearm - and contained comments that they intended to commit armed robberies and murder during the football showpiece in June and July. Foreigners would be particularly target, terming them as "soft targets" during their suade. They 'justified' their intentions by saying it was repayment for colonial wrongs.

Police chieftain Mthethwa said the men would face charges of contravening the Intimidation Act for their comments which could carry sentences of up to 25 years. Mthethwa's also ranted that e.tv's "repeated airing of this footage constitutes gratuitous sensationalism, promotes unlawfulness and creates a climate of fear and hysteria".

Mr Said defended the station: "While it is unsettling to hear criminals mock police, it remains a reality that the criminals we spoke to do not seem intimidated by the SAPS and their shoot-to-kill statements." Police incompetence is to blame for the mockery and taunting that the public and criminals heap on South Africa's police.

National Police Commissioner and president Zuma's man-friend Bheki Cele called on e.tv to work with the police by providing the identities and locations of the pair. "That, in itself, will be a major contribution in their commitment towards a safer South Africa," he said.

The Zuma underling is unaware of the principal human right of a free press that has an obligation to report the news and protect its sources.