10 Jan 2003

Samoa Muslim league praises American Samoa's visitor restrictions

3:46 pm on 10 January 2003

The leader of the Samoa Muslim League, Laulu Dan Stanley has praised American Samoa's new entry restrictions on visitors from terrorist risk countries.

Laulu, also known as Mohammed Azir was responding to the Attorney General's directive that people from 23 identified risk countries must receive his special approval before entering the territory.

Laulu says many Middle Easteners have a grudge against Americans and that American Samoa being a US territory could be a target for terrorist attacks.

Laulu says there has to be some control on such foreigners as no one is absolutely sure of their intentions.

He says that Samoa should look at implementing the same restrictions.

Laulu says tourism was now a major income earner for Samoa and if an incident similar to the Bali bombing happened in the country it would devastate the economy.