The quintet arrived in Lisbon on a flight from Algiers to Cape Verde, which landed at around 7.30pm, but managed to make a break for the runway while in transit – reportedly through an emergency exit being kept open for safety reasons – in a “desperate” bid to reach the Portuguese capital.
One of the five men, according to newspaper Diário de Notícias, was expelled from Portugal the day immediately after the incident, on Sunday, while the other four were arrested and remain in custody.
The four detainees are facing a deportation order, but their lawyer told a Lisbon court on Tuesday that her clients acted in desperation and that they should be granted asylum based on humanitarian grounds.
They were arrested on the runway, resulting in the Humberto Delgado Airport being shut down for over half an hour, with some flights being diverted to Porto and Faro.
The Home Minister said that the four Algerians were not connected to any terror groups and were merely trying to enter the European Union while in transit to Cape Verde.
They face charges of entering a restricted area and sabotage to air transport safety. One of them also faces charges of violating a prohibitive measure.
Minister Constança Urbano further said she was satisfied with the conduct of airport officials, and a full inquiry has been launched.
The Public Prosecution service said it wants the Algerians’ collective trial conducted as swiftly as possible.
Police are also said to be analysing the mobile phones of all five individuals.
Even though any connections to terrorist groups have been dismissed from a judicial point of view, the PJ police and information services are still gathering information on the group to completely rule out any links to terrorist set-ups.
Following the security breach the Research and Monitoring of Foreigners and Borders Services Union (SCIF) reiterated a lack of security at Lisbon airport.
The head of SCIF, Acácio Pereira, said that while a reinforcement of means had been promised, “we have not seen that reinforcement materialise.”
And, he added, that while protocol is followed, this incident shows that extra security measures are necessary, such as passengers being escorted by airport employees when they exit the buses ferrying them from the aircraft they disembark to the entrance of the international area, which at present does not happen.
The Union of SEF inspectors joined criticism with the head of the Observatory for Safety, Organised Crime and Terrorism, António Nunes, deeming the incident “a serious flaw” in which the Algerians attempted “a desperate escape as they did not have a visa to remain in Portugal.”
This latest incident was not the first security breach at Lisbon Airport.
In July 2014 Angolan national Gima Calunga was convicted of invading the runway armed with a knife, and was sentenced to four years in prison, but was cleared of suspicion of terrorism.
Following that situation PSP police adopted new security procedures.
Policing was also boosted after the attacks in Paris in November 2015, with Special Forces officers equipped with machine guns and bullet proof vests patrolling the airport.
Spokespersons for national airport Management Company ANA have refused to pass comment on this latest incident, claiming the trial is ongoing and they will await its conclusion.
In the wake of the breach the government has stressed “”There is no evidence that indicates the need to increase the terrorist alert level in Portugal. All security protocol worked and these men were arrested immediately.”