'Bad actors can...': Trinidad PM confirms terror threat to T20 World Cup coming from North Pakistan

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 set to be hosted by USA and West Indies in June 2024 has run into a major security crisis as Trinidad's Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has confirmed reports that the showpiece event in West Indies has received a terrorist threat. 

With less than a month to go in the opening game of the tournament, the Caribbean islands were shocked when according to reports Islamic State launched a terror threat against the islands via their propaganda channel. 

Trinidad’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley confirmed the terror threat to Trinidad Daily Express and was quoted saying, “Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism in its many and varied expressions is an ever-present danger in the world of the 21st century”. 

Also Read | West Indies receive TERROR THREAT to T20 World Cup from North of Pakistan

West Indies on High Alert for World Cup 

West Indies will co host this year’s T20 World Cup alongside USA. While the group stages will be played in USA, West Indies are set to host the Super 8s, Semi Finals and the Final. A total of nine venues will witness the matches being played and six of those venues lie in West Indies. 

Rowley has confirmed that the Islands are on high alert and the security forces around each venue will be increased to neutralize the danger, “Make an extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness to take seriously, all threats, expressed or implied”. 

Trinidad PM further confirmed that it is impossible to completely eradicate all opportunities of a terror incident but they are alert to the danger and are doing their best to eradicated the danger from the venues. 

“Given the fact that bad actors can choose to misbehave in any way possible, it makes it virtually impossible to completely seal off all opportunities. However, in order to ameliorate these dangers, we at the local and regional levels have remained alert to many threats and singularly or together have our intelligence and other security agencies working to protect the population in countries and at venues throughout the tournament,” said Trinidad PM, Keith Rowley. 

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 is about to go underway from June 1 with the match against United States and Canada. India will kick start their campaign on US soil on June 5th. The World Cup will shift to the West Indies with Super 8 starting from June 19. 

(With PTI Inputs)