Al-Qaeda has issued a warning to the international community not to send sports people to the Commonwealth Games in India later this year, or to next week's Hockey World Cup in New Delhi.
New Zealand hockey players are among 10 nations who will next week move around Delhi under armed guard.
India's government has launched an urgent review of security for sports events in the wake of a weekend bomb blast which appeared to target foreigners.
Nine people died in the blast in a coffee house favoured by foreigners in the Pune, near Mumbai.
Asia Times Online said this afternoon it had received a message from top guerrilla commander Ilyas Kashmiri, whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al-Qaeda.
"We warn the international community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL (Indian Premier League - a cricket competition involving international players) and Commonwealth Games. Nor should their people visit India - if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences."
Al-Qaeda vowed to continue their attacks across India until the Indian Army left the disputed province of Kashmir.
The Pune bombing killed nine people, including two foreigners, and injured 57.
The Hindu newspaper said the hockey players from 10 nations will have armed policemen accompanying them in their team buses which will take the sportsmen to the stadium from the hotel.
The buses in which the players will travel from their hotels to the stadium will also have a police escort.
"This is a major event. We have finalised a security plan for the event. Three to five armed policemen will be in buses ferrying players to the stadium. There will also be an escort for them," a senior police official said.
There is also concern around the Commonwealth Shooting Championship which begins tomorrow and the Indian Premier League cricket.
A Hindu extremist group in Mumbai has already threatened to protest at Australian players in the IPL because of attacks on Indians in Australia.
Last night in Delhi the Cabinet Committee on Security reviewed the security situation in the country.
The Hindu newspaper reported that as a result the Home Ministry has decided to review the security arrangements for sports events.
Informed sources said the concern was over the world hockey championship as any terror incident in the run-up to the event might send the wrong signals.
Home Secretary GK Pillai said the government had put in place an elaborate arrangement for the tournament.
"We are in close touch with security liaison officers of all countries that are coming here to participate. So far, all of them have seen the preparations done by the Delhi Police and the Home Ministry and they are quite satisfied," he said.
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