RIGA, Nov 25: Police in Latvia have detained 10 Pakistani citizens, fearing they might have been preparing a terrorist attack targetting the visiting Israeli basketball team, a police spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

“Bearing in mind the likelihood of a terror attack and illegal immigration, the Security Police informed the state border guard and the 10 Pakistanis were detained on Nov 21,” Kristine Apse-Krumina, an aide to the chief of the Security Police said.

She said authorities became suspicious after the 10 entered the Baltic state to participate in an international martial arts tournament, and only one took part.

“We are carrying out tough controls on citizens from countries with a possible risk of terrorism,” Apse-Krumina said.

“Ten citizens of Pakistan entered in Latvia on Nov 18 and said that they had arrived to participate in an international martial arts tournament of taekwondo last weekend. But only one of them took part in it,” she said.

She said scrutiny of the Pakistanis’ airline tickets showed they were planning to leave Latvia aboard the same plane as the Israeli basketball players from a Tel Aviv club, due to play against Riga club Skonto on Wednesday.—AFP