I wouldn't play in Zimbabwe: Kirsten

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, Feb 1 AAP - South African veteran Gary Kirsten has admitted he would refuse to play in Zimbabwe if his side was due to visit the strife-torn nation during the World Cup.

Kirsten's revelation comes on the back of reports of an Al-Qaeda cell planning to attack Westerners in Zimbabwe - and South Africa - if the US goes to war with Iraq.

Kirsten, whose side is not drawn to play any matches in either Zimbabwe or another trouble spot, Kenya, told a charity function he believed there was a "security issue" around matches in Zimbabawe.

The Australian Cricket Board and International Cricket Council (ICC) want Australia's match on February 24 to go ahead at Bulawayo but they are constantly monitoring a potentially volatile situation.

If players are thought to be at risk, Australia will withdraw.

The safety of the team and officials is the only consideration. Political and moral questions over president Robert Mugabe's rule will not come into it.

New Zealand has already pulled out of its clash against Kenya after receiving information from independent security sources that terrorist activity was on the boil in Nairobi.

"Politics should be left to the politicians," said Kirsten.

"But I would not play in Zimbabwe... there is a security issue."

A US Government report has detailed a plan by Tablik Ja'maat, an Al-Qaeda-linked group of militant extremists, to attack US targets in Zimbabwe if war was declared on Iraq.

Other attacks would take place in Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, South Africa and Israel, according to the report.

Meanwhile, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed is trying to determine whether the New Zealand-Kenya game can be re-scheduled.

If not, options for the Kiwis include taking the matter to an independent ICC committee of up to five members, appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, or going to the ICC Cricket World Cup events technical committee.

New Zealand is set to lose two valuable competition points from a game it would be almost certain to win but its reluctance to travel to a dangerous area is understandable after perilously close shaves with terrorist attacks in the past.

A bomb killed 11 French engineers in a bus outside the New Zealand team's hotel last year in Karachi, Pakistan. In 1987 in Sri Lanka, a bomb exploded in a nearby downtown Colombo bus depot. In 1992 in the same country, an assassination by car bombing, again near the team's hotel, caused the immediate disintegration of the tour.

Australia is scheduled to be in Bulawayo from February 21-25.