South African officials are on Tuesday scrambling to try to confirm a report that a former Saudi colonel has been arrested in Iraq for plotting with al-Qaeda to launch terror attacks against the World Cup.

Intellligence ministry spokesman Brian Dube said that the ministry had noted the report and was trying to establish the details.

"We have always said that we are ready for any security problems at the World Cup and we are confident of our (security) plan but we are not lowering our guard. We are saying we are expecting anything from anywhere."

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation is also trying to confirm the report.

A Saudi specialist in the government said that there were many Saudis operating in Iraq as the country was very sympathetic to the Sunni minority there. Many of the insurgents in Iraq were Saudis.

"It is a source of great concern that someone has been arrested for plotting against the Fifa World Cup. This is very, very serious and we are going to have to establish the full facts. "


This breaking news flash was supplied exclusively to iol.co.za by the news desk at our sister title, The Star.