Wednesday, February 26, 2003
Both teams will try again to sail Race 4 Friday
Associated Press
AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- As more details of a terrorist threat were released, the America's Cup remained stalled for a ninth straight day, this time because of choppy seas on the unpredictable Hauraki Gulf.
Principal race officer Harold Bennett called off Race 4 for the sixth time after harbormaster James McPetrie suggested the gulf would be too rough for the spectator fleet.
A day after gale-force winds raked the gulf, the forecast was for wind of 20 to 25 knots and a swell of 4 to 6 feet.
"If he comes out with a statement like that, I have no option,'' Bennett said. "If there was a major accident, whether involving competitors or even the public, I think I'd be in the firing line for an inquiry.''
There's been no racing for nine days, due first to light, shifty wind, then strong wind. Alinghi of Switzerland has a 3-0 lead over two-time defending champion Team New Zealand in the best-of-nine series.
Both teams have agreed to try to sail on Friday, which had been a scheduled day off. The forecast is promising -- 10 to 15 knots.
Meanwhile, police in the capital of Wellington said a group
calling itself "September 11'' sent terror threats to the U.S.,
Australian and British embassies, warning it has 55 pounds of
cyanide to use against American interests if Iraq is attacked.
The name seems an obvious reference to the 2001 attacks on New
York and Washington by al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden's terrorist
network.
"September 11 waits at the Americas Cup for instruction if Iraq
is attacked by the host of satan all interests and there supporters
will be attacked by September 11,'' the letters said. They were
written in English and thick with spelling and punctuation errors.
"September has stockpiled 25 kilo weapon grade cyanide and will
use those against those interests wherever they are,'' the threat
adds.
A squad of anti-terror police is working to find the author of
the threat.
One of the letters, which were intercepted by postal workers at
the Auckland mail center, contained cyanide crystals,
counterterrorism police chief Assistant Commissioner Jon White
said.
Britain's Foreign Office confirmed Wednesday that a suspect
package "containing traces of cyanide'' had been sent to the
British High Commission in Wellington.
White said all the letters also contained a white powder.
Authorities have not identified that substance but have ruled out
anthrax, he said.
The identical letters said the group aimed "to challenge the
actions of the great satan America and resist its imperialist
ambitions in the Islamic world.''
White said there were similar features between the letters sent
last Friday and one sent to the U.S. Embassy last year.
That letter, which contained enough cyanide to kill 20 people,
had threatened the New Zealand Golf Open in which Tiger Woods
played in January 2002. Its author has not been found.
Team New Zealand went sailing Thursday in its backup boat,
NZL-81. Alinghi stayed in port.
There's no wind limit for America's Cup races. Bennett said the
seas were on the edge of being sailable, but that a swell of 5 feet
is asking too much for the 80-foot, carbon-fiber sloops.
"The next three to four days is looking very good, so why panic
right away?'' Bennett said. "But I would have been keen to go out
and have a look this morning.''
In 19 knots and choppy seas in the first race on Feb. 15, Team
New Zealand's NZL-82 took on an estimated six tons of water. That
stressed the boat, leading to gear failure that forced the Kiwis to
drop out and hand the race to Alinghi.
"It's just so disappointing that we're being held up,'' Bennett
said. "It's not within my control. I haven't been able to master
the weather yet.''
