India promises safe sports events amid security fears

India vowed Wednesday to "protect every player" in upcoming major sports events in the country after a weekend bombing and alleged new threats raised fresh concerns over security.

"We will provide full protection to every player, every coach, every official who participates in the forthcoming hockey, cricket and Commonwealth Games," Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters.

New security worries surfaced ahead of the field hockey World Cup later this month after last Saturday's bombing at a restaurant in the western city of Pune which killed 11 people. A previously unknown Islamist splinter of a bigger Pakistan-based group claimed responsibility for the attack in a call to an Indian newspaper.

The group, calling itself Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Almi, linked the attack to upcoming peace talks between India and Pakistan, set for February 25. NEW DELHI, AFP