Sunday, January 6,
2002
Cyanide
letter contains threat against New Zealand Open
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
(AP) - Days before Tiger Woods' first appearance in New Zealand,
police and U.S. Embassy officials said Sunday that the embassy
received a letter containing cyanide and threats to disrupt the
New Zealand Open.
Assistant police
commissioner Jon White said the threats were directed at the tournament,
rather than Woods individually, but "it was clear the threats
had been made because Woods, the world's No. 1 golfer, was playing."
White said a "small"
amount of cyanide was in the letter mailed in New Zealand and
received by the embassy in Wellington in December. Cyanide, which
comes in paste or powder form, is a deadly poison used to kill
animals and extract gold from ore in mining. It can only be purchased
in New Zealand with a permit.
"The threatening
letter was sent to the U.S. Embassy and Israelis were also mentioned
in it," White said. "We're talking and working with
the diplomatic community and giving them much the same sort of
advice as we are the public generally."
The U.S. Embassy
in Wellington released a statement Sunday confirming the cyanide
was received and that the letter was immediately given to police.
"The U.S. Embassy
has been cooperating fully with the New Zealand police on this
matter," the statement said. "We are confident that
appropriate steps are being taken. In the interests of security
and not wanting to prejudice the investigation in any way, we
are unable to comment further."
Embassy spokeswoman
Janine Burns would not say whether anyone had become ill from
handling the letter.
Although White said
Woods' management team had been informed of the threats, Woods'
agent, Mark Steinberg of International Management Group, told
The Associated Press he was not aware of the letter.
"I've been on
the phone with the security people the last couple of weeks,"
Steinberg said. "If any of it were true, I think I would
have heard about it."
A police spokesperson
later said that although Woods' managers in the United States
had been informed, word might not have reached Woods and Steinberg
in Hawaii. "That has now been rectified," the spokesperson
said.
Woods, in Hawaii
for the Mercedes Championships, was not immediately available
for comment, having left the course after a 1-over 74. Earlier
in the round, he said he planned to leave for New Zealand as soon
as the tournament ends.
Woods reportedly
was paid $2 million to play in the $420,000 tournament that begins
Thursday on the at Paraparaumu Beach course. Woods' caddie, Steve
Williams, grew up near the course.
When organizers announced
that a weekly pass to the tournament would increase in price from
$22 to $198, several top New Zealand players threatened to boycott
the event.
They said the increase
would make it impossible for many New Zealanders, particularly
juniors, to see the event. A boycott was avoided when organizers
decided to allow youths under 16 to attend free of charge.
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