Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said today that a Yemeni national, Rayed Mohammed Abdullah Ali, has been deported from New Zealand for security reasons.

"Acting on advice, the government considered that the man's continued presence in New Zealand posed a threat to national security because:

* he was directly associated with persons responsible for the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001,

* of the nature of his activities in the United States prior to and at that time;

* and because of the nature of his activities in New Zealand.

"Therefore, a deportation order was sought and obtained from the Governor-General under Section 72 of the Immigration Act 1987.

"With immigration officials, police arrested the man in Palmerston North on Monday, 29 May, and he was deported to Saudi Arabia the next day."

Mr Cunliffe said the man had arrived in New Zealand in February.

"The individual's identity became apparent only after he arrived in New Zealand – he used a variation of his name in applying for entry to New Zealand. Once his real identity became known, he was identified as having close connections to people involved with the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States, and had been named in the 9/11 Commission Report.

"Initially, he lived in Auckland where he undertook some English language training, the stated purpose of his visit. He then shifted to Palmerston North where he was building up his flying hours flying with an instructor – he'd previously trained as a pilot in the United States.

"For security reasons, I cannot comment further. I am advised, however, that at no point was there any specific risk to New Zealanders during the man's time in this country," Mr Cunliffe said.

ENDS