Wembley threat 'linked to share price'

POLICE investigating the £20m extortion threat against Australian company Multiplex, which is building Wembley Stadium, are looking into whether the threat is an attempt to manipulate the group's share price, it was reported today.

The Sunday Times reported that police were particularly interested in finding out more about any big bets that were placed on the share price falling.

The exortionists have threatened that snipers would kill crane drivers at construction sites around Australian and Britain, including Wembley Stadium, unless the £20m ransom demand is met.

It has been a troubled few weeks for the construction company, which admitted last week, before the extortion threat emerged, that it would only just break even on the £750m Wembley Stadium project, reversing a previously booked profit on the project and sending its shares into a tailspin.