7 Malaysians among 16 barred from South Korea over militant links

Athletes arriving at Incheon International Airport in South Korea for the 17th Asian Games. South Korean police say 16 people they suspect have militant links have been barred from entering the country. – Reuters pic, September 30, 2014.

Sixteen people from four Asian countries were barred from travelling to South Korea for the Asian Games over suspected links with Islamic militant groups, police said Tuesday.

The list of banned individuals included seven from Malaysia, five from the Philippines, three from Vietnam and one Singaporean.

"We received the names of people with suspected links with militant Islamic groups or with past records of making trouble at international events from each of the four countries," a National Police Agency officer told AFP.

The ban was imposed from September 15, four days before the ongoing Asiad began in the South Korean port city of Incheon.

The agency would not provide the names of the 16, and it was unclear if any of them had actually attempted to travel to South Korea for the Games.

"The 16 people selected were considered those with the opportunity to travel abroad for terrorist-related activities," the officer said.

The ban was issued through the International Police Coordination Centre at the Incheon Games, which consists of 21 police officers from 17 countries. – AFP