8 suspected Abu Sayyaf men, including 2 wanted by Philippines, nabbed in Beaufort
Published on: Monday, May 10, 2021
Kota Kinabalu: Authorities arrested eight suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) including two wanted by the Philippine government and also nabbed 29 other Filipinos in an operation on May 8.
State Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali, in a press conference on Monday, said the arrest was made by police together with an Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) team in a special operation in a mangrove swamp near Taman Sri Arjuna, Beaufort.
ADVERTISEMENT
“All 37 individuals arrested consisted of eight men, eight women and 21 children who are believed to have been in Sabah for more than a year," he said.
"Further investigations into the reason for their entry into Sabah, assistance they received during their stay in Sabah, their entry and exit routes, their facilitators in Sabah, any firearms brought into the country and whether there are separate Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) and ASG cells will be done."
Two people on a wanted list were involved in clashes with Philippine marines at Bud Bawis Complex, Panamao, Sulu in 2011, 2018, 2019 and most recently in Nov 2020. The two were also involved in several cases of foreigners kidnapping in the southern Philippines.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
ADVERTISEMENT
* Subscribe to the Daily Express Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss
