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'We know where other TV thug is'

NABBED: Police arrest one of the two men who the police claim appeared on e.tv claiming to be self-confessed criminals who planned to threaten tourists at the World Cup. Pic. 21/01/2010. © THE TIMESSelf confessed criminal known only as Tsietsi, who appeared on ETV with a friend, vowing to rob tourists duringt the soccer World Cup was arrested in Roodepoort in the early hours of this morning. The other one is still at large. 21/01/2010. Pic © Sunday Times.
NABBED: Police arrest one of the two men who the police claim appeared on e.tv claiming to be self-confessed criminals who planned to threaten tourists at the World Cup. Pic. 21/01/2010. © THE TIMESSelf confessed criminal known only as Tsietsi, who appeared on ETV with a friend, vowing to rob tourists duringt the soccer World Cup was arrested in Roodepoort in the early hours of this morning. The other one is still at large. 21/01/2010. Pic © Sunday Times.

ONE of the self-confessed criminals who threatened on e.tv to "rob and kill" tourists during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup has gone to ground - but police say they will track him down.

ONE of the self-confessed criminals who threatened on e.tv to "rob and kill" tourists during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup has gone to ground - but police say they will track him down.

"He's gone to ground but we will find him," Hawks spokesperson Musa Zondi said yesterday.

He said police were positive that the man they arrested on Thursday - in Tshepisong on the West Rand- was the thug seen during the TV interview cocking a gun.

Cops say that the man, known only as "Tsietsi", told the police that he was paid R2000 for the interview - and also gave the police "valuable information".

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa's spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said due to the sensitivity of the information it could not be made public at this time.

The National Press Club has called on the police to immediately withdraw subpoenas issued against e.tv group news editor Ben Said and reporter Mpho Lakaje following the recent screening of the interviews with the two criminals.

National Press Club chairperson Yusuf Abramjee said: "The intention with the subpoenas was to force the journalists to reveal the identities of the men who threatened to rob tourists during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

"The alleged middle man (who secured the interviews) apparently took his own life and one of the two men featured on e.tv was arrested on Thursday.

"The Hawks publicly confirmed they know who the second person is," he said.

Abramjee said ithere was now no reason why Said and Lakaje should be hauled before a court.

"What information do the police need? The cops have it," he said.

Mnisi reiterated that the subpoenas still stood "unless we receive the information we requested before the set court date".

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