Security moves into overdrive

NEW DELHI (AP):

The security clampdown at the Commonwealth Games went into overdrive yesterday, a day away from the closing ceremonies and as organisers revealed a third positive doping test in as many days.

Reports emerged of a possible terror threat overnight, but despite pre-Games warnings of security issues, the Games which began October 3 have been free so far of any major problems.

Commonwealth Games Federation president, Mike Fennell, said he was unaware of any "new, credible, specific terror threat" ahead of tonight's closing ceremonies and the men's and women's marathon along city streets.

London's Daily Mail newspaper reported that Indian intelligence had warned of a terrorist plot to attack New Delhi today. It cited unconfirmed new intelligence indicating that the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, blamed for the commando-style attacks in Mumbai in 2008, was targeting the Indian capital on the day of the closing ceremonies.

Bombs seized

Last week, the Indian military and police seized 10 homemade bombs hidden in wooden boxes in Jammu city, an army officer told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. Jammu, 580 kilometres (360 miles) north of New Delhi, is in India's Jammu-Kashmir state.

The officer said the destination of the explosives was not immediately known.

Two Nigerian runners were earlier found to be positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine. Osayomi Oludamola was stripped of her gold medal in the women's 100-metre race. Hurdler Samuel Okon also tested positive.

"I think that everyone would concede that to have three doping cases of those 1,300 tests is not a bad record," Fennell said. "And two of those have been concluded for substances that are considered by many to be not in the serious area of doping activity, which is stimulants.

"It would be our desire that there would be no cases because I think all involved in sports would like to have a zero factor when it comes to doping matters. But we have to live with reality."

Organising committee Secretary-General Lalit Bhanot said having an athlete from the host country test positive for doping was "unfortunate".

But he said it "sends a message that if people are going to use drugs, they will get caught".