Indonesian national arrested in Manila

The army and the police captured Indonesian national, Fathur Rohman Al Ghozi, also known as Abu Saad, in Metro Manila's Quiapo area last Tuesday, a belated report said.

Al Ghozi revealed information that paved the way for the arrest of three other Muslims who were caught storing one ton of explosives in General Santos City, southern Philippines, last Thursday, the police added.

During interrogation, he admitted that he was staying temporarily in the Philippines to procure explosives. He added that he had bought 1,100 kilos of explosives from his contacts in Cebu City, central Philippines, during November and December last year. He stored them in a hideout in General Santos City.

The explosives were supposed to be transferred to other countries in the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).

Al Ghozi is an Indonesian wanted in Malaysia and who illegally entered the Philippines between 1996 and 1997. He is a member of an Islamic group called Jemaah Islamiyah which has a worldwide network, but operates in Asean.

He studied at Turhum, located on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, together with other students who were recruited to join the said group, the military said.

The military added that the suspect was being given weapon training in Pakistan. He can speak English, Filipino, and a dialect of Maguindanao, southern Philippines.

Earlier, the police said he was arrested for his alleged participation in the spate of bombing incidents in Metro Manila on December 30, 2000.

Meanwhile, the military revealed the identities of the three Filipino Muslims who were arrested with one ton of explosives that were found in two houses in Labangal, Batoyala, in General Santos, last Thursday. They were identified as Mohammed Malagat, Almuctar Malagat and Mualidin Malgata, and are believed to have links with the Al Qaida network.

Found during the raid were 50 boxes of explosives, 300 electronic detonators, 2,400 metres of detonating cord, and 17 M16 rifles.

Army regional commander, Col. Pedrito Magsino, led the raid in the houses owned by Filipino Muslims who were not around at the time.

"The arrests were the result of information from Singaporean authorities about the possible presence in the Philippines of personalities connected with Al Qaida," national police spokesman, General Cresencio Maralit, said earlier.