LOS ANGELES, Dec 27: Citing a security threat, the US Pacific territory of American Samoa has banned nationals from 23 countries, including Pakistan, unless they have specific permission to visit, officials said.

American Samoa Governor Tauese Sunia said the step was taken after a credible security threat, an official from his office said on Monday.

The territory’s attorney general, Fiti Sunia, said nationals of the banned countries would now need approval from his office before being granted entry permits.

The countries are: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Cuba, Fiji, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

They add to a smaller list of mainly Arab nations banned in August after a security scare led to the week-long closure of the US embassy in Apia in nearby Samoa.

According to governor office: “It was reported that a Middle Eastern man was seen conducting surveillance and photographing the US embassy in Apia.”

“On learning of that threat, we immediately issued an immigration alert heightening scrutiny for entry into the territory of individuals of Middle Eastern descent and features.

“Our paramount consideration was the safety of the residents of American Samoa.”

The governor said because of limited security and immigration resources “we cast as wide a net as possible to ensure to the greatest extent possible the security of American Samoa.”

The governor criticized Washington for keeping him in the dark about a security threat in Samoa.

“Federal agencies simply failed to provide us with threat information from within our region and updates as requested.

“In this particular case, American Samoa had to rely on information from unofficial sources from neighbouring countries.”

Nationals from Fiji were banned because of the nation’s significant ethnic Indian population.

The governor claimed that Muslims in Fiji studied at Muslim institutions in Muslim states. Around 43 per cent of Fiji’s 830,000 people are ethnic Indian, and around 80,000 are Muslim.

“Due to our unique circumstances, our government reserves the right to institute whatever security means are necessary to mitigate terrorism threats to our territory and its residents,” Sunia said.

“While individual liberties are important to us, equally important is the security and safety of our people.”

The American Samoan ban dominated the Fiji Times which quoted Fijian Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Isoa Gavidi saying it was a reality Fiji had to face.

“The Bali incident, I guess, has changed the perception that island paradises are safe,” he said, referring to the Oct 12 bombing on the Indonesian resort island that killed at least 190 people.

Opposition Fiji Labour Party’s Lek Ram Vayehnoi labelled the ban “irresponsible” and National Federation Party’s Prem Singh labelled it “totally unjustified”.