Malaysia foils terror attacks, arrests 2 Sayyafs in Sabah

From the Mindanao Examiner (Dec 12): Malaysia foils terror attacks, arrests 2 Sayyafs in Sabah

Two Filipinos who are members of the pro-ISIS militant group Abu Sayyaf, had been captured in Sabah in a fresh crackdown by Malaysian terrorist police in the eastern state near the Philippine border of Tawi-Tawi.

The operation, carried over several days last month, also led to the capture of 5 Malaysian nationals who have links with ISIS in Syria and Jamaa Ansharut Daulah, its largest affiliate in Indonesia. The arrest of the suspects foiled terror attacks in Malaysia, according to a report by Channel News Asia.

Quoting Police Inspector Fuzi Harun, the report said the Abu Sayyaf members – whose identity was not made public – said one of the Abu Sayyaf militants was involved in at least three serial kidnappings in southern Philippines and Sabah.

“The suspect is a member of the Abu Sayyaf group who was involved in at least three serial kidnappings in southern Philippines and Sabah. He is occupied as an individual who is requested by the Eastern Sabah Security Command to assist in criminal investigation in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone,” Fuzi said.

One of the Filipino, 48, was arrested along with his 40-year old Malaysian wife, in Tenom, Sabah. They were also accused of hiding information about the presence of Abu Sayyaf in Sabah.

The capture of the suspects prevented potential terrorist attacks, particularly in non-Muslim sites of worship in Malaysia, as two of its citizens had received orders from the Islamic state to launch attacks in the country.

No other details on the Filipinos were made available by Malaysia or the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.

https://mindanaoexaminer.com/42886-2/