7 Filipino Men, Believed to be Abu Sayyaf Group Members Detained

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- Seven Filipino men, believed to be involved with militant activities by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), were detained in the state of Selangor and the federal capital here last Sept 14. Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the suspects, aged between 22 and 38 and working as security guards with several privates companies, were arrested by the Counter Terrorism Division of the police special branch. They were arrested following the arrest of 19 men who allegedly planned to launch attacks during the closing ceremony of the 2017 SEA Games last Aug 30 and the 60th Merdeka Day celebration the following day. "One of the suspects, aged 22, is a member of the ASG who was involved in a fight with the Filipina army kidnapping activities in southern Philippines,” he said in a statement Thursday. Mohamad Fuzi said all the suspects entered the country through Sandakan, Sabah, in September 2015 before coming to the federal capital using forged travel documents. "The royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will continue to intensify efforts to track down and arrest foreign terrorists who sneaked into the country, whether for protection, to raise fund, launch attack or to make Malaysia their operation base to plan attack on a third country,’ he said. Mohamad Fuzi also said that 41 foreign nationals, who were categorised as Foreign Terrorist Fighters had been detained by the Malaysian police since early this year. -- BERNAMA