Prosecutors said Monday that they have indicted an Indonesian illegal immigrant, who follows a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaida.
The 32-year-old, suspected of supporting the Syrian branch of al-Qaida known as al-Nusra Front, is charged with forging documents, as well as violating South Korea’s immigration control act and control of firearms, swords, explosives, etc. act.
The man had been arrested about a month ago in South Chungcheong Province, where he has been working in a small manufacturing company for about eight years,
Police confiscated a bowie knife, a mock M16 assault rifle and a number of books on Islam fundamentalism from the suspect’s house.
He was found to have uploaded a video clip of himself waving the al-Nusra Front’s flag at a local mountain on social media in April and also wrote that he would participate in the Syrian war next year and become a martyr.
No charges were filed against the suspect for either writing messages or posting photos on social media.
Under the current law, South Korea cannot punish a suspect for writing on social media in support of a terrorist group.
South Korea recently deported three other Indonesian illegal immigrants who followed the al-Nusra Front.
The latest case has raised concerns that South Korea may not be a safe zone from possible terrorist attacks.
In November, the ruling and opposition parties agreed to begin discussions for the swift passage of an anti-terrorism bill, though no progress has been made yet. (Yonhap)
