3 Filipino Jihad Suspects Held in Saudi Arabia
MANILA: The Filipino army is trying to find out if three suspected Filipino jihadists were among the 44 people arrested in Saudi Arabia in a weeklong anti-terrorism operation in December.
“We’re now coordinating with the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] to identify the reported three Filipinos. As of now, we’ve no details yet,” Colonel Restituto Padilla, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, was quoted as saying by The Standard.
Media reports also said that that Saudi security forces launched a series of special operations in December that resulted in the arrest of 44 suspects, “including three Filipinos, five Syrians, four Yemenis, a Sudanese, and 31 Saudis.”
“Maximum number of suspects was arrested on the first day of the operation that included 10 Saudis, and one Yemeni. Nine suspects, including three Syrians were arrested the following day,” it reportedly said.
“Ten suspects were rounded up on the fifth day of the operation, including seven Saudis, a Yemeni, a Sudanese and a Syrian,” it added.
Earlier, reports that Islamic terrorists brandishing the flags of terrorists in Iraq and Syria were recruiting and training recruits in Mindanao surfaced, which were subsequently denied by the Palace, and the army.
On the other hand, a high-ranking military intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the three Filipinos arrested were not directly recruited from the Philippines, but had probably been in Saudi Arabia for some time, The Standard reported.
Provincial police, meanwhile, said an alleged member of the Abu Sayyaf Group involved in several kidnappings and the ambush against a vice mayor in December was arrested on Monday in Patikul, Sulu.
The police identified the suspect as Jummi Jumala, who was now temporarily detained at the provincial police office.
The Patikul police said they received information regarding the presence of Jumala, and asked for help from the Alpha Company of the Army’s 35th Infantry Battalion.
Jumala was also being sought for the ambush of Vice Mayor Jun Tarsum and series of killings in Jolo and Patikul, besides being involved in several kidnapping operations of the ASG, the police was quoted as saying by The Standard.