May 18, 2010
2 S'poreans held in Bahrain
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Two Singaporeans were among 16 people detained in Bahrain for allegedly trying to enter the country with forged UK and Japanese passports. --ST FILE PHOTO
TWO Singaporeans were among 16 people detained in Bahrain for allegedly trying to enter the country with forged UK and Japanese passports, The Gulf Daily News reported on Tuesday. The two Singaporeans were detained on May 9, together with 12 Chinese, as they attempted to sneak in through the Bahrain International Airport, said Interior ministry Under-Secretary Brigadier Tariq bin Daina. The incident came a day after two Iranians were detained over forged UK passports.
'The Chinese and Singaporeans claim they were looking for employment here,' Mr Tariq told a press conference. He also said the two Iranians claimed they were trying to get to the UK via Bahrain, and they both had their original passports with them. The Chinese and Singaporeans claimed they had paid large sums of money to agents who promised them jobs in the country, Mr Tariq said.
These agents had also prepared the forged Japanese passports. The Gulf Daily News reported that investigations were being carried out in collaboration with the British, Chinese, Singaporean and Iranian authorities. Anyone who tried to use dubious means to enter Bahrain would face the full force of the law, Mr Tariq added.
