Who to believe – terrorists or politicians? Security experts or Shane Warne? Each has vested interests about Australia’s sporting pursuits in India this year.

An al Qaeda affiliate has warned internationals against participating in the hockey World Cup starting next week, cricket’s Indian Premier League beginning next month and October’s Commonwealth Games.

India’s government says the threats aren’t credible. Australia’s government and security experts think they are.

Australian hockey players and shooters currently in New Delhi are content with security arrangements, and Commonwealth Games chiefs say the threats won’t stop those games in the Indian capital.

But some of our cricketers appear set to pull out of the IPL starting March 12.

Cricketers this week heard a sobering report from security consultant Reg Dickason which exposed shortcomings in safety plans for the lucrative IPL.

The players have forwarded undisclosed security “issues” for the IPL to sort out.

“If the IPL can satisfy those issues then potentially the players will be in a position to go,” Australian Cricketers’ Association boss Paul Marsh said this week.

Warne and others face the prospect of kissing hundreds of thousands of dollars goodbye if they don’t play.

“All the money in the world is not going to help you if you are not around to spend it,” Marsh said.

Warne is banking on the Indian government’s pledge to beef up IPL security.

“I think it’s going to work pretty well,” Warne said, confirming his attendance.

Warne this week may well have lost his mantle as cricket’s greatest spinner to IPL supremo Lalit Modi.

Modi dismissed the terrorism threat as a media beat-up, insisting there is nothing to be overly worried about and suggesting overseas players wouldn’t be missed if they snub the `who dares wins’ IPL.

“The heavens aren’t going to fall if that happens,” he said.

“We have no worries at all.

“We have the top 200 players in the world. It’s not only dependent on foreign players, although they are a part of it.”

Modi said nobody in the world can “safeguard the safety of the players in any tournament” – and then took a pot shot at the media.

“The media is reacting to every fringe group, saying security is a problem,” said.

Fringe group?

That hardly does justice to the 313 Brigade, a coalition of five jihadi organisations considered an operational arm of al Qaeda.

The brigade is widely believed responsible for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that left more than 160 people dead, including two Australians.

Australia’s government and security experts are at odds with Modi and Indian Home Secretary G.K. Pillai who said this week there were “no credible threats” to international sporting events in India.

The Australian government’s official travel advisory for India says there is a high risk of terrorist activity by militant groups.

“We continue to receive reporting of possible threats against prominent businesses and tourist locations, including Mumbai and New Delhi,” the advisory says.

“Credible reporting suggests that terrorists may be planning attacks in India directed at hotels frequented by foreigners.

“Terrorists may be planning attacks against Indian political and security interests.”

The warnings are blunt.

But the federal government takes a politically expedient stance: circulating the warnings but then playing a diplomatic straight bat.

“Whether sporting teams or individuals take part is entirely a matter for them,” Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said this week.

The 313 Brigade issued their direct warning to international sportspeople and visitors last week via the Asia Times Online website.

“We warn the international community not to send their people to the 2010 hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League and Commonwealth Games,” the statement by brigade leader and wanted terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri warned.

“Nor should their people visit India, if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences.”

The brigade said their threat remained until the Indian Army pulls out of the Kashmir Valley – a disputed northwestern territory divided between Pakistan, India and China.

The brigade chose their name for historical reasons – the founder of Islam, Muhammad, was victorious in the Battle of Badr in 624 with a 313-strong army brigade.

They fought and triumphed over the 1000-strong Quraish forces – the dominant tribe in Mecca which led opposition to Muhammad’s Islamic message.

Islamic history has storied the battle, specifically mentioned in the Koran.

All of which has absolutely nothing to do with sporting pursuits in 2010.

Hopefully.

© AAP 2012

Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.