Australia's Delhi-bound Commonwealth Games contingent has been warned that there is an 80 per cent risk of terror attacks in the Indian capital but the country remained committed to participating in the event.
A new security risk assessment report prepared by private counter-terrorism and
security consultants Homeland Security Asia-Pacific has warned that the 550 Aussie athletes and officials are putting their safety at risk by travelling to Delhi later this week for the October 3 to 14 event. "...an analysis of the risks found the Federal Government and sports administrators had played down the threat," the 'Sunday Herald Sun' reported.
Listing the security risks, the report said that the "screening machines at major Delhi hotels were often switched off or faulty and public transport infrastructure was vulnerable to attack because of the large numbers of travellers and little security surveillance."
"The city's international airport had weak perimeter security and staff were yet to be trained properly to use security scanning technology and key Games Family Hotel, where sports officials and referees will stay, had no proper defensive perimeter, making it vulnerable to a large vehicular bomb."
The report claimed that there were "30 known terror groups active in the Delhi area, some responsible for past terror outrages and training facilities and foreign diplomatic missions also were potential targets." "After preliminary examination of the layout of Delhi Games venues and facilities, it would still be easier and more likely for an attack to be staged in an area close to, but not in, the actual Games precinct," it said.