10 Argentine hooligans deported after being detained at SAfrican airport ahead of World Cup

10 Argentine hooligans deported from South Africa

JOHANNESBURG — Ten Argentine soccer hooligans said to be planning acts of violence at the World Cup have been deported to Angola after having been detained at South Africa’s main airport.

South African police said Monday in a statement that the men, all Argentine citizens, were detained Sunday after arriving at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport on a flight from the Angolan capital Luanda.

“Intelligence indicated that these persons would commit acts of public disorder, engage in acts of violence and provoke conflict with certain fans of opponent teams and other groups from Argentina during the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” the statement said.

Police said one of the 10 men is out on bail for murder.

They were held in custody overnight at the airport before being deported to Luanda on Monday afternoon, according to Adrian Vernis, attache at the Argentine embassy in South Africa.