A Norwegian citizen previously reported missing in Cambodia has been arrested in Vietnam and accused of terrorism, Vietnamese authorities said on Monday.
Nguyen Duc Thuan, who holds a Norwegian passport, was arrested on September 18 together with two other men while allegedly attempting to cross illegally from Cambodia into Vietnam, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security said.
The ministry accused the three men of being members of Viet Tan, a US-based pro-democracy organisation that Vietnam designates as a terrorist organisation. It said they were attempting to enter Vietnam to carry out terrorist and sabotage activities.
Viet Tan has disputed the account, saying Thuan and an Australian citizen, Ho Pham Hiep Huy, were abducted in Cambodia and forcibly taken to Vietnam.
Norwegian authorities have been contacted about the case, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was providing consular assistance to Huy and his family.
The arrests are the latest development in the case previously reported by ScandAsia, after Thuan and Huy were reported missing while travelling in Cambodia.
Source: Reuters
