Tourists held in China for watching Gengis Khan documentary

Beijing

Tourists who were held in China after being accused of looking at "terrorist" materials were detained after they viewed a documentary on Genghis Khan, a spokesman for two members of the group said.

A total of 20 visitors from South Africa, Britain and India were held at Ordos airport in China's northern Inner Mongolia region on Friday last week, sparking diplomatic concern.

Six Britons, five South Africans and one Indian have already been released, while the remaining eight tourists are expected to be deported in the coming days, officials in South Africa and at the British Embassy in Beijing said.

A statement released by a British-based spokesman for two of the group, Hoosain Jacobs and Tahira Jacobs -- who hold dual UK and South African nationality but travelled on South African passports -- claims all the tourists have been released without charge.

It also said the detentions may have been made after an "unfortunate misunderstanding" concerning Genghis Khan, a 13th century Mongolian warrior hero who founded an empire from eastern Europe to the South China Sea.

"They watched a documentary on Genghis Khan to further their understanding of the region they were in at the time, and this may have mistakenly been deemed as ‘propaganda’ material," the statement said.

"It can only be assumed that junior officials who made the initial arrest in Inner Mongolia made a mistake, due to perhaps their unfamiliarity of the English language."