Arrested Pakistani man used to produce fake passports for ISIS members: Thailand

Bangkok [Thailand], Jan. 19 (ANI): Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has said that the arrested Pakistani man used to produce fake passports for the Islamic State (ISIS) members.

Prawit, who is also defence minister of the country, said on Tuesday that an attempt to bring ISIS members to Thailand was nipped in the bud.

"He (Muhammad Iqbal) wanted to bring fighters from the Middle East to our country, but we stopped that. I can confirm there are no ISIS members in Thailand. Actually, the suspect lives abroad. He left Thailand, returned and was then arrested," Bangkok Post quoted Prawit as saying.

Iqbal, 51, suspected of having links with the Islamic State (ISIS), was arrested on Sunday for allegedly producing fake passports for suspected transnational criminals, possibly including those joining the terror group.

He was arrested by the immigration staff, police and the army in Phasi Charoen district of Bangkok.

Four Indian passports and three Singaporean passports were found after a body search of Iqbal was carried out by the authorities.

Authorities found equipment used for making counterfeit documents and passports from his room during a search.

The source said Iqbal was being held by the authorities at an undisclosed location, and he has been charged with trading in counterfeit documents.

A probe into the matter has been initiated.

Thai authorities were also investigating with the help of Malaysian authorities, if Iqbal was also involved in making fake passports in 2016 and 2017 for militants from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and possibly Thailand who wanted to travel to join the ISIS terror group in the Middle East, Bangkok Post reported. (ANI)