Singapore bars Australia ex-terror suspect before summit

An Australian former terror suspect has been refused entry to Singapore due to his past activities, authorities said today, days before a historic US-North Korea summit in the city-state.

Zeky Mallah, 34, was barred entry when he arrived at Changi Airport yesterday from Sydney and placed on a flight home the next day, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Singapore has been stepping up security ahead of Tuesday's historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un.

In 2003, Zeky was the first person to be charged under new terrorism laws in Australia for allegedly planning a suicide attack on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the department of foreign affairs, said a ministry statement.

He was acquitted of charges of preparing a terrorist act in 2005 but was jailed for two and a half years after he admitted threatening government officials.

Zeky was also reported to have travelled to Syria and to have expressed support for Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups, the ministry said.

He told Australia's Seven Network that he believed he had been barred due to the looming summit.