OAN’s Brooke Mallory
1:12 PM – Wednesday, May 29, 2024
A law enforcement official familiar with the probe said on Tuesday that authorities intend to increase police presence at Eisenhower Stadium as well as on Long Island, and that the FBI’s Nassau County office will collaborate with the New York Police Department and other law enforcement to enhance security for the ICC World Cup 2024 next month.
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This comes after a pro-ISIS outlet posted a warning graphic on May 28th featuring the host venue, Eisenhower Stadium, along with an ominous message.
The new 34,000-seat stadium, which is located roughly 25 miles east of New York City, can be seen in the image, along with drones in the sky and the words “You wait for matches, and we wait for you.” June 9th was also mentioned.
However, the senior law enforcement official claims that there is no proof of any terrorist scheme that is explicitly directed towards a particular game on June 9th or the World Cup. Although, the official also emphasized that the ISIS symbolism was noteworthy.
The official stated that their intelligence assessment indicates that ISIS hopes to provoke violence and that by disseminating its propaganda, it can inspire someone else to take action and do its dirty work. The terror group is well-known for utilizing instability as fuel for its evil terrorist operations around the world.
“The worst threats are the ones you don’t see coming,” said former Homeland Security Advisor Michael Balboni.
Throughout the tournament, a sizable attendance is anticipated at the Nassau County stadium, especially for the game on June 9th. The match between India and Pakistan is a key contest that a billion people could view globally, in addition to the large number of spectators anticipated in person.
According to the official, law enforcement should make plans in accordance with the fact that ISIS has specified targeting the World Cup.
Road closures and safety precautions for the World Cup will be covered at a security briefing that county officials are scheduled to hold sometime on Wednesday.
A few individuals who have already bought tickets—which are currently selling for several thousand dollars—stated they would not allow the threat to deter them from taking part.
“Nothing is going to prevent me from coming to cricket. That’s my life now,” said Al Ahmed, a fan who flew from Guyana to attend the event.
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