Two South African men detained in Pakistan on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organisation were deported to South Africa on Wednesday, the office of the South African national police commissioner said on Friday.
Feroz Ganchi and Zubair Ismail were questioned by the South African Police Service upon their arrival in South Africa.
The two had been arrested in the Pakistan town of Gujarat on July 25 with a number of other individuals on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organisation and receiving training in that country.
Ganchi, a doctor from Fordsburg, Johannesburg, and 20-year-old student Ismael, from Laudium, Pretoria, had gone missing for 10 days while they were supposed to be hiking in the mountains in eastern Pakistan.
During that period, reports said the families of both men were outraged at the idea that they were terrorists.
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa confirmed the deportation.
The office of National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi said the police ”will continue to be seized with matters pertaining to terrorism both at home and abroad”. — Sapa