RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilian security sources say that 32 Argentinian fans, with a record of hooligan violence, have been barred from entering the counry for the World Cup finals.

Intense concern has surrounded the security status of Argentina’s concluding group match against Nigeria tomorrow in Porto Alegre, the southern-most World Cup venue and comparatively easy for visiting fans to reach.

A statement credited the border action as the “result of intense surveillance and integrated efforts between national security forces.” Two additional barra bravas had found in Brazil and ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.

The security action is part of a cooperation agreement between Brazil and Argentina.  As part of the agreement, Argentina has shared a list of over 2,000 names of Argentine fans with a history of violence in stadiums with Brazilian authorities.

Of the 32 barra bravas prevented from entering the country, 18 were traveling by air and 14 were using land routes.

No tickets

According to Brazil’s Federal Highway Police, 90 percent of the foreigners in transit to the match between Argentina and Nigeria on declared that they do not have tickets and are interested only in the pre- and post-match celebrations.

The Center for International Cooperation of the Brazilian Federal Police is currently hosting 200 professionals from the 31 other countries with national teams playing in the World Cup, as well as from five other guest nations and members from the United Nations, Interpol and Ameripol.

Each participating delegation is operating in Brazil with an average of seven members, four of which travel alongside their respective national teams and work in uniform in the stadiums in which their national team plays. These foreign field officers are familiar with their team’s fans and can assist with strategic and prompt intervention efforts. They operate unarmed, and rely on Brazilian public safety authorities for assistance.

The three other members of each delegation are stationed at the Cooperation Center in Brasilia.

They assist Brazilian authorities by sharing access to relevant databases and by conducting remote surveillance of all stadiums and movements of the national teams through cameras that feed footage directly to a video wall installed at the Center. Members from all international delegations work in the same physical space, allowing for a constant exchange of information.
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