Cricket Attack Raises Fears for Sports Events

Teams cancel Pakistan visits; 20 arrested in attack
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 4, 2009 4:27 AM CST
Cricket Attack Raises Fears for Sports Events
Sri Lankan cricketer Ajantha Mendis arrives at Bandaranayake International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, today.   (AP Photo/ Eranga Jayawardena)

As Pakistani officials arrested some 20 suspects in yesterday's attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in Lahore, new fears emerged that sports events may become a new target for terrorists, reports the Times of London. One international team canceled a trip to Pakistan last night, and the country's plans to co-host cricket's World Cup in 2011 are now  in doubt. Fears have also been raised about the 2012 Olympics and their susceptibility to a commando-style attack.

"I don’t think any international team will be going to Pakistan in the foreseeable future," said the chief executive of New Zealand's cricket association. Eight people were killed, and six injured in the attack. Pakistani officials believe the assault was likely the work of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the militant group fingered for the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai. No details were immediately available about the arrests.
(More Pakistan stories.)

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