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Malaysia Airlines MH370: Stolen passports 'no terror link' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two men travelling on stolen passports on board a missing Malaysian airliner were Iranians with no apparent links to terror groups, officials say. | |
Malaysian police named one as Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad, 18, and said he was probably migrating to Germany. | |
Interpol identified the other as Delavar Seyed Mohammadreza, 29. | |
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing went missing on Saturday, after taking off with 239 on board. The search has been widened. | Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing went missing on Saturday, after taking off with 239 on board. The search has been widened. |
Experts have said the presence of two people with stolen passports on a plane was a breach of security, but is relatively common in a region regarded as a hub for illegal migration. | Experts have said the presence of two people with stolen passports on a plane was a breach of security, but is relatively common in a region regarded as a hub for illegal migration. |
Malaysia's police chief Inspector Gen Khalid Abu Bakar said the young Iranian was "not likely to be a member of a terrorist group", adding that the authorities were in contact with his mother in Germany, who had been expecting her son to arrive in Frankfurt. | Malaysia's police chief Inspector Gen Khalid Abu Bakar said the young Iranian was "not likely to be a member of a terrorist group", adding that the authorities were in contact with his mother in Germany, who had been expecting her son to arrive in Frankfurt. |
Speaking in Paris later on Tuesday, Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble named the other Iranian as Delavar Seyed Mohammadreza. | |
He said the two Iranian had swapped their Iranian passports in Kuala Lumpur for stolen Italian and Austrian passports to board the airliner. | |
Without a trace | Without a trace |
The authorities' statement supports an account given to the BBC by a young Iranian in Kuala Lumpur who says he was a school-friend of one of the men who boarded the airliner using stolen documents. | |
He says the friend and another Iranian stayed with him before taking the Malaysia Airlines flight, and that they had hoped to settle in Europe. | |
Reports from Thailand suggest that the tickets of the two men, routing them to Amsterdam via Beijing, had been bought through a Thai travel agent and an Iranian middleman. | Reports from Thailand suggest that the tickets of the two men, routing them to Amsterdam via Beijing, had been bought through a Thai travel agent and an Iranian middleman. |
Officials say they still have no idea what went wrong with the aircraft. | Officials say they still have no idea what went wrong with the aircraft. |
None of the debris and oil slicks spotted in the water so far have proved to be linked to the disappearance. | None of the debris and oil slicks spotted in the water so far have proved to be linked to the disappearance. |
Four areas of investigation were focused on the possibility of human agency, the police chief said: hijacking, sabotage, psychological problems or personal problems with passengers or crew. | Four areas of investigation were focused on the possibility of human agency, the police chief said: hijacking, sabotage, psychological problems or personal problems with passengers or crew. |
Two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese. Others were from various Asian countries, North America or Europe. | Two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese. Others were from various Asian countries, North America or Europe. |
Relatives have expressed frustration at the lack of information about the plane's fate. | Relatives have expressed frustration at the lack of information about the plane's fate. |
At least 40 ships and 34 aircraft are taking part in the search in the seas off Vietnam and Malaysia. | At least 40 ships and 34 aircraft are taking part in the search in the seas off Vietnam and Malaysia. |
Search teams from Australia, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, New Zealand and the United States of America are assisting. | Search teams from Australia, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, New Zealand and the United States of America are assisting. |
Civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said on Tuesday that the search was being conducted "on both sides" of the peninsula. | Civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said on Tuesday that the search was being conducted "on both sides" of the peninsula. |
The area has been expanded from 50 nautical miles from where the plane had disappeared - over waters between Malaysia and Vietnam - to 100 nautical miles (115 miles; 185km). | The area has been expanded from 50 nautical miles from where the plane had disappeared - over waters between Malaysia and Vietnam - to 100 nautical miles (115 miles; 185km). |
Malaysian Airlines said it was considering the possibility that the aircraft had tried to turn back to an airport at Subang, near Kuala Lumpur, leaving its flight path. | Malaysian Airlines said it was considering the possibility that the aircraft had tried to turn back to an airport at Subang, near Kuala Lumpur, leaving its flight path. |
Have you been affected by this story? Do you have any information that you wish to share? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Malaysia plane' in the subject heading and including your contact details. | Have you been affected by this story? Do you have any information that you wish to share? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Malaysia plane' in the subject heading and including your contact details. |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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