Philippine Nationals Arrested in Kuala Lumpur, Suspected of Having Links with Abu Sayyaf Group
Category: Criminal Activity
Severity: 2 (Low)
Source: Drum Cussac
09/21/2017 (Malaysia) - Media reports on Thursday, 21 September, indicate that police have arrested seven Philippine nationals accused of having links with the Abu Sayyaf militant group. The men were reportedly detained in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor state based on intelligence gathered during an investigation into the alleged militant plot to attack the closing ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games in the capital on 30 August. According to police, all the suspects are believed to have crossed into Malaysia through Sabah state before travelling on to Kuala Lumpur using forged travel documents. Following concerns over the expansion of militant groups in the region, Malaysia has launched a major crackdown on suspected militants in recent years, arresting over 300 people suspected of having links with Islamic State (IS) and affiliated groups such as Abu Sayyaf since 2013.
Those in Malaysia are advised to monitor local media sources for further information on the arrests and any associated security operations in their area and should heed any directives issued by police or local authorities. Travellers are advised to exercise a heightened level of vigilance in Malaysia given the elevated threat from terrorism and immediately report any suspicious activity or items to security forces.
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