T20 WorldCup: India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match under threat of terrorist attack, ISIS-linked organization issues video threat

The countdown to the T20 World Cup has begun. The tournament is starting from June 2 as per Indian time. However, the fans are waiting for the India-Pakistan match to be held in New York on June 9. Now this match is under the shadow of a terrorist attack. A terrorist organization linked to IIS has released a video threatening a 'lone wolf' attack. A top New York police official has warned the security personnel by putting them on high alert. The India-Pakistan mega match will be played on June 9 at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

Mention of the date 9/6/2024 in the video

The British newspaper 'Express' first reported the threat and said that the terrorist organization has also threatened to target many grounds in Europe including Wembley Stadium (football stadium) in London. The video posted by ISIS-K on a British chat site had a picture of the Nassau Cricket Stadium located in Eisenhower Park and drones were seen flying there. The date of 9/6/2024 was mentioned in the video. The India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match is also scheduled to take place on the same day.

'Threat of lone wolf attack'

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said that in the viral video, this terrorist group has threatened a 'lone wolf' attack. 'Lone wolves' are members associated with terrorist organizations who work independently with permission from the organizations, making them more difficult to track. Ryder said that additional police officers would be deployed at the cricket stadium located in Eisenhower Park. He said, 'We will investigate closely when it comes to the safety of the residents here. There was no specific information about the level of threat in the video posted in the chat group by ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), an Islamic State terrorist organization active in South and Central Asia.'

Ryder said, 'When you have a match of such a large scale and such a crowd, every lead is credible.' He said that he had received threats in April as well and even then ISIS-K had threatened. He said that ISIS-K has not revealed the name of the place, but looking at the picture of the stadium and the India-Pakistan match on the same date, it has become a little clear.

'We are capable of handling every situation'

Bruce Blakeman, the head of Nassau County bordering New York City, said, 'We ensure that we are capable of handling every situation that can potentially arise. For this, we have taken many precautions. We take every threat seriously. There is a single process for every threat. We do not underestimate the threats. We track all our leads.'

Statement of New York Governor Kathy Hochul

On Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that she has instructed the New York State Police to remain alert and implement the strictest security arrangements. Along with tightening the security arrangements, instructions have also been given to deploy a large number of police, monitor the city, and make the screening process more strict. Governor Hochul said, 'We are closely monitoring the situation. My administration has been working with federal law enforcement agencies and Nassau County for months to ensure that New Yorkers and visitors here remain safe.'

Request to make Eisenhower Park a no-fly zone

After receiving threats of drone attacks by IIS-K, county officials have requested the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to make Eisenhower Park a no-fly zone for drones. ISIS-K has previously carried out attacks in Pakistan and has threatened India with a terrorist attack. In March, ISIS-K terrorists attacked a concert hall in Moscow in which about 130 people were killed. The T20 World Cup is to be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States. A few days ago, the West Indies also received a threat of a terrorist attack. However, the ICC has said on this whole issue that it is working closely with local security agencies. The safety of players and people is their priority. The ICC has assured that every possible measure is being taken to ensure the safety of fans and players.

Nassau Stadium has a seating capacity of 30,000 people

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium has a seating capacity of 30,000 people. It has been built specifically for the T20 World Cup 2024 tournament. This stadium will host the upcoming T20 World Cup along with another stadium in Dallas. Team India has to play all its matches in America. Of these, the first three matches, i.e. India vs Ireland (June 5), India vs Pakistan (June 9) and India vs America (June 12) will be played at Nassau Cricket Stadium in New York. After this, Team India will play a match against Canada in Florida on June 15.