Three Abu Sayyaf arrested for planned terrorist attack during ASEAN Summit: PNP
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Friday said authorities foiled a possible terrorist attack during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.
In a press conference, Dela Rosa said a joint law enforcement operation against the three members of the Abu Sayyaf Group- Urban Terrorist Group was initiated after they arrested Abdulgaffar Jikiri. Jikiri posted on his Facebook account hints of a plan to launch terrorist attacks in Metro Manila.
"He posted photos of high-powered firearms and improvised explosive devices with a caption that they would be used to kill the kaffir (non-believers) and the munafiq (Muslim apostates)," he said.
Jikiri also posted photos of their target areas, including a mall and a park in Manila. He also posted photos of him and other armed group.
Last November 10, Jikiri with two other ASG members was arrested in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City.
Dela Rosa identified the two other suspects as Alim Sabtalin, 19 years old and Sadam Jhofar, 24 years old.
The Quezon City Police District, in coordination with the National Bureau Investigation- Counter Terrorism Division, conducted a background investigation on Jikiri and they found out he is a members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group. Authorities found out he left Basilan on October 9.
Dela Rosa said further investigation showed Sabtalin and Jhofar, who arrived in Manila earlier, met Jikiri. The QCPD and NBI-CTD tracked down the two suspects which resulted to their arrest.
"The arrest of the three suspects was part of government's continuing effort against terrorist groups, as well as the anti-criminality campaign of the PNP and the NBI," he said.
"It was also part of the effort of the law enforcement community in securing the recently concluded ASEAN summit," he added.
Dela Rosa said they kept the information until the ASEAN summit finished as they are still conducting follow up operation during the time and to prevent anxiety to the public.
"You can look at it that way and also we did that because there is an ongoing follow-up operation. Just in case I present them earlier to the media, the other personalities we are looking for will know already so it's hard to reveal the information that would lead to failure of follow-up operation that's why we hold (the information). We don't want to give unnecessary anxiety to the public," he explained.
He assured the public that the PNP and NBI are doing its job to secure the community.
The three members of the Abu Sayyaf Group was arrested few days before the start of the ASEAN summit that was held in Manila last November 13 to 15. Ella Dionisio/DMS
