ISLAMABAD: A “terrorist” suspected of planning to attack the cricket World Cup has been arrested after help from authorities across South Asia including in Pakistan, Interpol chief Ronald Noble said. “Just last week, through the cooperation from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, we were able to identify, locate and arrest a terrorist, who had left Karachi on his way to the Maldives with criminal intentions,” Noble said. “Thanks to the cooperation of your country and other countries we were able to make sure that the World Cup remained safe,” he said at a briefing Thursday alongside Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Malik said “there was a serious attempt of act of terrorism” being planned during the World Cup now underway in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. “I am not telling the name of the country from where the culprit was arrested,” Interior Minister Malik said. Neither the minister nor Noble elaborated on whether the suspect was acting on his own or belonged to any militant group. Police in the three World Cup host countries have imposed blanket security for the tournament, and Indian police have issued a general alert for the final in Mumbai on April 2 without detailing any specific threat. Australia Friday put out an updated travel advisory urging a “high degree of caution” in reference to the World Cup. It mentioned the Indian authorities' general alert, and cited an unspecified extremist threat to the Mumbai final. Ponting backs India Australia captain Ricky Ponting said India would beat Pakistan when the arch-rivals meet in the World Cup semifinals after seeing the co-host end his team's 12-year run as champions. Ponting made his first international century in over a year when Australia batted but it wasn't enough as India won by five wickets after finishing on 261 for five with 14 balls to spare. “If you look at their attacks, they're quite similar,” said Ponting, who in Australia's preceding final group match saw Pakistan end the title-holders' 34-match unbeaten streak at the World Cup. “Pakistan played the quicks against us, (Abdul) Razzaq and (Umar) Gul and (Wahab) Riaz played that game as well and he's done a pretty good job for them. They used a lot of their spin. “How do I compare the bowling attacks? It's pretty hard to say, but I think India will beat Pakistan in the semifinal.” Ponting added of the March 30 clash in Mohali: “We all know how fierce a rivalry it is between Pakistan and India so I'm sure that's going to be a very entertaining semifinal. “India have a got a great chance now. Their batting is very powerful and they bat quite deep.” Times of India apologizes India's leading newspaper apologized Thursday for suggesting that a World Cup match between Australia and Zimbabwe was under investigation for match-fixing. The Times of India had claimed that the Feb. 21 match in Ahmedabad was being probed by the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption body. “We apologize to Australia, Cricket Australia and the ICC for any embarrassment caused by this,” the newspaper posted on its website. “We also accept that at no stage has the ICC ever confirmed or suggested the match was fixed.” The story, which has since been removed from the website, had prompted ICC chief Haroon Lorgat to slam the claims. “The article ... can only be described as fictional,” said Lorgat. “We do not comment on the activities of the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) and for good reason. “However, after several misleading and downright false stories appearing in recent weeks it is time for us to show our displeasure and expose those responsible for affecting the integrity of the media. “It is also patently false of the reporter to claim that the ICC ever suggested to it that the match was corrupted. The ICC confirms that, in terms of its policy, at no stage did anyone from the ICC speak to the journalist on this topic.” Australia had already dismissed as “laughable” claims that the ICC was investigating the match.
