Philippines detains suspect linked to Malaysia kidnapping

Philippines military (Source :AFP)

Manila (VNA) – The Philippines military on December 4 said the country’s security forces have detained a local suspected an Islamist extremist linked to the kidnapping of Malaysians in the Philippines, including one that was beheaded last month.

According to Alan Arrojado, head of a counter-terrorism military task force in the area, the suspect, Kadaffy Muktadil, is a member of the Abu Sayyaf group. Malaysia had issued an arrest warrant against him for kidnapping.

The suspect was arrested on the southern island of Jolo when he sought treatment at a hospital after a motorbike crash.

Security officers said Muktadil was behind dozens of kidnappings in the past two years and came out after beheading Malaysian national Bernard Then in November.

Earlier, on November 8, Malaysian Prime Minsiter Najib Razak accused the Abu Sayyaf for its link with the Al Qaeda terrorist network and the murder of Then, one of two Malaysians abducted by gunmen at a restaurant in the Sabah state of Malaysia, near the southern area of the Philippines in May 2015.

The Philippine military said Then was murdered in the Abu Sayyaf's
stronghold on Jolo island, after ransom talks failed. The other hostage had been released a week earlier.

Aby Sayyaf is one of the Islamic separatist groups based at Jolo island and Basilan, the Philippines. It has been blamed for bombings and kidnappings for ransom since its establishment in the 1990s.-VNA