Eight Abu Sayyaf members nabbed in Beaufort - Sabah Police

KOTA KINABALU: Eight Filipinos who are members of the Abu Sayyaf group have been arrested in a special operation in Taman Sri Arjuna, Beaufort, said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali.

He said they were nabbed with 29 other Philippine nationals in a mangrove swamp area during the operation conducted by police and the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) at 3 am two days ago.

"We have checked with the Philippine security forces, and they confirmed that the eight men are members of the Abu Sayyaf group who escaped to Sabah following an operation conducted by the security forces in the southern part of the country.

''The check also found that two of the Abu Sayyaf group members are named in the list of men wanted by the Philippine government,'' he told a media conference which was also attended by ESSCom commander Datuk Ahmad Fuad Othman at the Sabah police contingent headquarters here today.

He said preliminary investigations found those detained were not involved in kidnap for ransom in the state and were believed to be using Sabah as a hiding place.