White supremacist bomb plotters charged with terrorism

Despite the arrests, police insist that there is no security threat to the football World Cup, which kicks off in South Africa next month.

The five appeared in court in the north-eastern town of Phalaborwa, which borders on the Kruger National Park.

They were among seven people arrested last month.

They were arrested for desecrating the grave of a black politician, but a subsequent police raid found weapons and explosives.

Musa Zondi, for the police special investigations unit, says they were planning to attack black residential areas.

But, he says, they were working alone and it is not known if their plot was part of master-plan.

Nor do police believe that the five were connected to a group arrested earlier this week. At the time Police Minister Nathi Mthenthwa said that a right-wing conspiracy had been foiled.

Racial tensions in South Africa are charged by fears that last month’s murder of white supremacist leader Eugene Terreblanche will imact on the world’s premier sporting event.