Great Britain delayed its departure to Belgium for next weekend's Davis Cup final as Brussels "remains on its highest level of alert amid fears of an attack," according to the BBC. The team -- including Andy Murray -- is now "not expected to travel until Monday for the tie in Ghent." The Int'l Tennis Federation said it was "greatly concerned" by the Belgian government's decision to raise the terror alert for Brussels. The Belgian capital "entered a second day of a security lockdown on Sunday," and a government announcement at 6pm GMT on Sunday "confirmed that Metro services would remain suspended on Monday, with all schools closed and residents told to avoid crowds" (BBC, 11/22). The Scotland DAILY RECORD reported the terror alert level in Brussels was raised to the highest category on Saturday because of a "serious and imminent" threat of a Paris-style attack. The search for a man "believed to be one of the masterminds of the atrocities in the French capital continues in the Brussels area" (DAILY RECORD, 11/22). In London, Barry Flatman reported Murray and the rest of Britain's Davis Cup team leave "accompanied by former SAS personnel determined to ensure their safety amid the ongoing threat from Isis terrorists." The security team will "shadow every move made by Murray and his teammates." The Lawn Tennis Association has in the past arranged its own security for foreign trips but following the Paris attacks and the focus on Brussels, "the contingent has been strengthened before the final." Security aT the final is the responsibility of the ITF and there has been "constant communication with Belgian authorities" (SUNDAY TIMES, 11/22). REUTERS' Martyn Herman reported security fears in Brussels are of "great concern" to the ITF ahead of the Davis Cup final between Belgium and Britain. ITF President David Haggerty said in a statement, "Over the last week, the ITF has been in constant contact with the relevant authorities, the Royal Belgium Tennis Federation, the Lawn Tennis Association and our risk assessment company and this dialogue continues today. We are aware that Belgium has raised the terror alert level for Brussels. This greatly concerns us but, at the present time, we are still continuing with preparations for the final" (REUTERS, 11/21).
UNPRECEDENTED SECURITY: In London, Martin Beckford wrote football fans were "subjected to unprecedented security measures" Friday as Britain remained on high alert for terrorist attack. Large numbers of security guards and police were on patrol at grounds up and down the country on the "first day of Premier League fixtures since suicide bombers targeted France’s national stadium." In the match between Watford and ManU, officers in high-vis vests were seen "guarding the visiting team bus as it arrived and then patrolling the stands during the match." The matches in Britain went ahead "without incident" but the authorities were taking no chances in Belgium, "where every match was cancelled as the terror alert was raised to the highest level" (DAILY MAIL, 11/22). Also in London, Chris Riches reported anti-terror police created a "ring of steel" around Old Trafford and the Etihad stadiums Thursday. Greater Manchester Police, who house the North-West Counter-Terrorism Unit, "confirmed they are stepping up" its armed patrols around ManU and Man City's grounds. The force -- the second biggest in England -- also declared its "increase in armed officers" will also be visible and "ready to pounce" at large shopping precincts like the huge Trafford Centre (DAILY MIRROR, 11/19).
THWARTED ATTACK: In London, Ben Knight reported terrorists planned to detonate three bombs inside the stadium during a friendly int'l football match in Hanover last week, an attack that was "thwarted by cancelling the match at the last minute," according to a security official. The official told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that German security agents were "tipped off by French counterparts that a terror cell planned to detonate five bombs in Hanover, including three inside the football stadium, one at a bus stop and one at a railway station." The match, due to be attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and several government ministers, was "called off and the stadium quickly evacuated 90 minutes before kick-off." No specific details of the terrorist threat "have emerged until now" (GUARDIAN, 11/22). In London, Alexandra Sims wrote despite security precautions, "no arrests were made and no explosives were found at the stadium." Lower Saxony State Premier Stephan Weil said that a firm indication about a "concrete danger" based on secret information had prompted the cancellation of the match. German Federal Police President Holger Muench warned the number of potential Islamist attackers is growing, "posing an increasingly difficult challenge to German security." Muench said that police know of around 750 people from Germany who have traveled to Syria and Iraq, "possibly to military training camps, and about one third of them have returned" (INDEPENDENT, 11/22).
