World Scene

IRAQ

Militant details World Cup plot

BAGHDAD | An al Qaeda militant detained in Iraq on suspicion of plotting to attack the World Cup told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he wanted to target Danish and Dutch teams to avenge insults against the Prophet Muhammad.

Iraqi security forces announced the arrest of Saudi citizen Abdullah Azam Saleh al-Qahtani on Monday, saying he was suspected of planning an attack in South Africa during the World Cup beginning June 11.

“The goal was to attack the Danish and the Dutch teams and their fans,” the militant said. “If we were not able to reach the teams, then we’d target the fans,” he said, adding that they hoped to use guns and car bombs.

INDIA

Government offers peace talks

NEW DELHI | India is willing to begin peace talks with Maoist rebels, but only if the insurgents halt all attacks for 72 hours, the home minister said Tuesday.

The offer followed a rebel ambush Monday of a bus in central India that killed 31 police officers and civilians and highlighted the Maoists’ strength despite a government offensive aimed at ending one of Asia’s longest rebellions.

CANADA

Officials campaign against bank tax

OTTAWA | Canada will “resist” a bank tax, Industry Minister Tony Clement said Tuesday as ministers fanned out across the world to raise opposition to the proposal for avoiding another financial crisis.

“Canada is, and will remain, opposed to a tax that would penalize financial institutions that remained strong and prosperous while many of the world’s banks failed,” Mr. Clement told a news conference with Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon.

“We will resist the bank tax here at home and we seek to convince other heads of government of the virtue of our position,” he said as senior ministers echoed his message in Mumbai, Beijing and Washington.

HAITI

Preval vows to step down

ARCAHAIE | Surrounded by waving banners of blue and red, Haitian President Rene Preval pledged to step down as scheduled next year, rebuking critics who say he is using the post-earthquake emergency to hold on to power.

Mr. Preval told thousands celebrating Flag Day in the seaside town of Arcahaie that he will step down at the end of his term, Feb. 7. The two-term leader sparked protests this month when he adopted a decree that would extend his term by up to three months if a planned presidential election is not held by the end of November.

SPAIN

Judge allowed to work for court

MADRID | The body that oversees Spain’s judiciary on Tuesday approved a request by crusading judge Baltasar Garzon, suspended last week for suspected abuse of power, to work for the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The five-member panel of the General Council of the Judiciary voted 3-2 to grant Judge Garzon a leave of absence to work as an adviser for the ICC for seven months because it found no “legal reasons” to oppose the request.

• From wire dispatches and staff reports