BI thwarts entry of suspected foreign terrorists at NAIA

A Belgian national, who is on the interpol list of suspected foreign terrorists, was reportedly intercepted by Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the 31-year-old male passenger, whose name has been withheld for security reasons, was refused entry at the NAIA's Terminal 3 on 7 February because of his status as an undesirable alien.

Tansingco said that the Belgian man was turned back after arriving via an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi. His companion, a 27-year-old Belgian woman, was denied entry for accompanying an excluded alien.

The BI chief added that the male passenger was excluded after the BI officer who processed him noticed that his name prompted a hit in the computer’s Interpol derogatory check system.

Verification made with the BI’s Interpol unit revealed that the Belgian is the subject of a diffusion notice issued by Interpol for the alleged offense of involvement in terrorism-related crime.

The said passenger was excluded pursuant to Section 29 of the Philippine Immigration Act, which forbids the entry of “any alien who believes in, advises, advocates, or teaches the overthrow by force and violence of constituted law authority.”

Tansingco hailed the exclusion as the BI successfully foiled the entry of a foreigner who poses a very serious threat to public safety and national security.

After being excluded, the suspect's name was immediately included in the BI blacklist, preventing him from re-entering the country anymore.