Belgian terror suspect denied entry to the Philippines

A 31-year-old Belgian man listed in an international terrorist database was denied entry to the Philippines at Manila airport, according to a statement released on Monday by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration.

The man was turned away on 7 February after arriving in the Philippine capital on a flight from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. A 27-year-old woman travelling with the suspect was also denied entry.

An immigration officer at Terminal 3 noted that the man was listed by international police organisation Interpol for "possible involvement in terrorism-related offences". Philippine authorities described the man as an "undesirable foreign national, likely to pose a threat to public and national security".

Following his arrest, the Philippine immigration authorities blacklisted the man and banned him from entering the country, but no information has been released on his subsequent fate. He is believed to have been sent back to Abu Dhabi on a flight with his travelling companion.

^{The international airport in Manila © PHOTO TED ALJIBE / AFP}