Report: Olympic Terrorists Targeted Reactor

Aug. 27 -- International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch said he remains confident about the safety of next month’s Olympics.

“I believe this will be a safe Olympics,” Samaranch said inan interview Saturday with Spanish state television following reports that New Zealand police had discovered a possible plot by Afghan refugees to blow up a nuclear research reactor in Sydney during the games.

Police detectives found a map of Sydney with the Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor highlighted during raids on a suspected people-smuggling operation run by Afghani men in March, said Bill Bishop, the detective superintendent in Wellington, New Zealand.

The March raids were first reported in The New Zealand Herald Saturday morning.

“The map and other material … suggested to us they were morethan motorists,” Bishop said. “Other details gave us causefor concern.”

The group also had plans of detailed access and exit routes to the targeted reactor, he said.

Three men were arrested in March on charges of passport fraud and smuggling. A fourth man was arrested last week after further investigations. None of the men had been arrested for terrorist activities, Bishop said.

Authorities, Samaranch Not Worried

With the games scheduled to start Sept. 15, Australian officials were quick to say that there was no direct evidence of a terrorist threat.

They expressed confidence in the massive security operation, headed by the New South Wales state police and including Australian military forces and international intelligence services.

“We have been at pains to assure the Australian public, and visitors to Australia for the Games, that we have put in place the most well-rehearsed and practiced cooperative arrangements between all relevant authorities — law enforcement, intelligence, security and otherwise,” attorney general Daryl Williams said.

Samaranch also said he was not worried.