'Madrassas' a concern in South Africa

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JOHANNESBURG -- Authorities in South Africa are worried that large numbers of Islamic extremists from Pakistan are entering the country illegally to join religious schools or "madrassas," some of which may have links to international terrorism.

A spokesman for the South African Ministry of Home Affairs, which has jurisdiction over immigration issues, told The Washington Times that while more than 12,000 Pakistanis visit the country each year as genuine tourists, there has been an alarming jump in the number of illegal immigrants.

The South African Embassy in Islamabad "issues visas to Pakistani nationals wishing to visit South Africa on holiday or business," he said, "and that number is fairly steady. Last year, it was 12,666 and the figures so far show a 10 percent increase for 2003.

"But while we had to deport 513 illegal immigrants back to Pakistan in 2003, this year's figure shows an increase of more than 40 percent."

In Pakistan, the government of President Pervez Musharraf has been closing down the more extreme madrassas as part of its program to combat terrorism, and a recent report suggested that students were heading abroad to continue their studies.

South Africa is believed to be one of the top destinations, in part because of the country's modern communications infrastructure and the widespread use of English.

Immigration officials in Pretoria say the students travel first to Mozambique, crossing from there illegally into South Africa. More than 1 million Mozambicans work in South Africa and there is a constant flow of people across the border, much of which is open bushland.

A recent report from the World Bank estimated that 2 million students are enrolled at more than 10,000 madrassas across India and Pakistan.

The information officer at the Pakistani Embassy in Pretoria said his government is concerned about the flow of illegal immigrants from Pakistan to South Africa via Mozambique, but that the office was working closely with South African authorities to combat the problem.