England World Cup football fans 'easy target for terrorists': Expert

London, May 20(ANI): England football fans have been warned by an expert that terrorists may target them at the World Cup starting next month in South Africa.

A top Al-Qaida expert, Professor Hussein Solomon, from South Africa's University of Pretoria, said the fans were at risk after a plot emerged to attack them at the event.

"Walking around in team colours would be like walking around with a target on your chest," The Daily Star quoted Solomon, as saying.

He further said the players would get expensive protection, but that would leave the supporters as "soft targets".

"They will not have around-the-clock security and there are a number of public and private places Al-Qaida could strike," Solomon said.

"There will be three billion people watching the World Cup and this provides the audience they need to make a statement like 9/11, or the 7/7 bombings in London," he added.

Last month it was claimed that a Somali terror organisation known as Al-Shabaab was planning to "blow up the World Cup". (ANI)