MANILA (XINHUA) - Philippine immigration
agents have arrested a Pakistani suicide bomber suspected of having links with
local terrorists in the southern Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration said on
Wednesday (June 19).
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said
the suspect, identified as Waqar Ahmad, 36, was arrested on Tuesday while
Manning the appliance store owned by his uncle in Zamboanga City.
The suspect is allegedly a "suicide
bomber and a member of the Dawlah Islamiya terrorist group". He is now in
police detention in Zamboanga City while undergoing deportation proceedings
"for being an undesirable alien due to his alleged terrorist links and for
working in the country without a permit", Mr Morente added.
According to Mr Morente, Ahmad was "arrested
after several days of intensive (police) surveillance" at the appliance
store of his Pakistani uncle in Zamboanga City where the suspect worked as
"storekeeper and collector". A check with the Bureau of Immigration
records showed that Ahmad arrived in the Philippines on April 19 this year, he
added.
"He (Ahmad) will be deported, as his
presence here is inimical to national security. He also violated our
immigration laws by working here without applying for an employment visa,"
Mr Morente said.
Ahmad will not be allowed to enter the
country ever again, said Mr Morente, adding that the suspect will be
blacklisted.
Citing international intelligence reports,
Mr Morente said Ahmad has "alleged links to the radical Islamist group
Dawlah Islamiya, which allegedly has ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria (ISIS) and the Maute group, both of which have been blamed for several
bombing attacks in the South".
Moreover, intelligence information showed
that Ahmad came to the Philippines "to meet with a ranking leader of the
Abu Sayyaf group in Basilan in order to plan and carry out suicide bombings in
the province", said Mr Morente. Basilan, an island province off Mindanao,
is a known lair of the Abu Sayyaf militants.
"Authorities suspected that Dawlah
Islamiya was behind the bomb explosion that wounded 18 people at a restaurant
in Insulan, Sultan Kudarat (on) April 4 (this year)," Mr Morente said.
Philippine authorities have warned that
terrorists are very likely in trying to carry out attacks in the Philippines.
Attacks have been carried out using improvised explosive devices and small
arms.
Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks
and have the capacity and the intent to carry out attacks at any time and
anywhere in the country, including in the capital Manila and in places visited
by foreigners, such as airports, shopping centres, public transport, and places
of worship.
On Jan 27 this year, at least 27 people
were killed and many more injured following bomb attacks at a Roman Catholic
cathedral located on the remote Jolo Island in Sulu province.
Credit: The Straits Time – 19 June 2019
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