Plot to attack Israeli football team foiled

THE VENUE for Israel’s World Cup qualifier against Albania on Saturday was changed this week after the discovery of a Daesh plot to attack the Israeli team.

The match was moved from a stadium in Shkoder, a city in north west Albania, to Elbasan in the centre of the country.

The Albanian authorities picked up a group of terrorist suspects after a tipoff from Mossad.

Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau confirmed the report and warned Israeli fans not to travel to the match. Dozens of supporters who had been due to travel on the team plane were replaced by a beefed up security entourage.

Few details are known about the suspects and their plans and whether there was any connection to pro-Pales- tinian demonstrations that had been planned for the match.

After three matches in Group G, Israel and Albania are level on six points, one point behind Spain and Italy.

Albania and Israel are battling for third place in the group.

The Israeli players were told about the threat on Tuesday morning. At their training session on Wednesday at Shefayim near Tel Aviv, the mood was sombre, with players complaining that it was difficult to concentrate on football under the circumstances.

Israel FA board member Ariel Sheiman, who is leading the Israel delegation to Albania, tried to soothe frayed nerves: “Everyone should calm down. We must act responsibly and we fully trust the security authorities in Albania. In the past 20 years during which I have accompanied the national team, things have always gone smoothly and I’m convinced they will do so this time.”