Militants believed as member of the Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines. Malaysian police have arrested eight militants of the Islamic State (IS)-linked Abu Sayyaf group in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
(Photo: www.thestar.com)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysian police have arrested eight militants of the Islamic State (IS)-linked Abu Sayyaf group in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, the country’s authorities said.
The detained included one of the Abu Sayyaf leaders named Hajar Abdul Mubin. He was captured with another Filipino and six Malaysians of Filipino descent in Sabah state.
One of the suspects was a security guard while some others were even members of the Malaysia’s Civil Defence Corp (CDC).
The Abu Sayyaf, with 400 gunmen, is notorious for bombings, beheadings, extortion and kidnap-for-ransom in the southern Philippines. The group once declared loyalty to the IS.
Experts warned that after failure in Syria and Iraq, the IS is attempting to set up a caliphate in Southeast Asia, especially Minadao island in the south of the Philippines.
The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have boosted military cooperation to prevent the militant group’s operation.-VNA
VNA
