Abu Sayyaf militant captured in Sabah

From the Mindanao Examiner (Feb 15, 2019): Abu Sayyaf militant captured in Sabah

An Abu Sayyaf militant, who fled the Philippines in March last year, has been arrested in Sabah where he was working as a construction man, Malaysian media reported Friday.

Quoting an official police report, Malay Mail said the 21-year old militant, whose identity was not made public by security officials, illegally entered Malaysia in 2018 and is highly skilled in handling firearms.

The Filipino is believed to be a follower of Puruji Indama, whose notorious group, is operating in Basilan, just 30 minutes by boat from the southern port city of Zamboanga. “The department also scored another hit when they arrested a Filipino man who is a member of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group, known for its kidnapping-for-ransom cases in southern Philippines and Sabah.”
“The suspect aged 21 had illegally entered Malaysia in March 2018 and have been working at a construction site. The suspect is highly skilled in handling firearms and has direct connections with Furuji Indama, the current leader of ASG,” said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

He said 5 other suspected terrorists were also captured separately in anti-terror raids in Malaysia. One of them is a 48-year old Singaporean man, who had planned to attack the Freemason building in Johor, according to Harun.

He said they are also holding a 31-year old Bangladeshi, who was arrested in Selangor, and is a supporter of ISIS who was involved in recruiting local militants for the extremist group. And two Malaysian suspects, both aged 38, who were deported to Malaysia after they were found to have channelled funds to ISIS militants while working at a farm abroad.

Harun said police also arrested another terror suspect from a South Asia country in Selangor after police received information that the 26-year old militant had been giving protection to another terror suspect whose name is listed under Interpol’s red notice for his involvement in serious terror activities.

No other details were made available by the police on the Filipino, except all of those arrested have been detained under the Security Offences Act of 2012. The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including the Philippine National Police, have not release any report about the Filipino militant’s arrest.

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