Philippines Arrests Palestinian Terror Trainer
A Palestinian man has been arrested in the Philippines for connections to the Abu Sayyaf Islamic terrorist gang: Philippines Arrests Terror Trainer Suspect.
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine authorities have arrested a Palestinian man who allegedly has trained al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf guerrillas and returned to the Philippines for a possible terror mission, officials said Thursday.
Fawaz Zi Ajjur, whom security officials suspect may be an al-Qaida operative, was arrested Saturday in the southern city of Zamboanga after a circuitous journey that took him to Russia, Thailand, Malaysia and before arriving in the Philippines, the officials said.
Ajjur did not have a visa and was taken into custody by immigration agents at the Zamboanga airport, Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr. said.
He was later allegedly identified by two captured Abu Sayyaf guerrillas as one of the foreign militants who trained them in bomb-making near Patikul town on the southern island of Jolo island a few years ago, a security official said on condition of anonymity.