Malaysian security forces find large arms cache, detain Filipinos<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse
\nKuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Military officials seized a large number of weapons and detained
\n22 Filipinos when they attempted to sail into Malaysia through
\nthe waters off Sabah state on Borneo island, which borders the
\nPhilippines, a top security official said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The military and the police have deployed divers to search the
\nseabed after the Filipinos reportedly dumped more weapons
\noverboard when they were spotted by the military off the coastal
\ntown of Sandakan on early Wednesday, he told AFP on the condition
\nof anonymity.<\/p>\n
The Utusan Malaysia, a Malay-language daily, on Thursday
\nreported the cache included a large amount of explosive material
\nand 216 bullets.<\/p>\n
The official said the 22 intruders included one woman. \"I
\nthink they were trying to escape the current military offensive
\nin southern Philippines,\" he told AFP.<\/p>\n
\"They are now under police custody and are being questioned,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The official said police would attempt to find out why the
\ngroup entered Malaysian waters and what the weapons were to be
\nused for.<\/p>\n
\"With the most recent bomb attack at Jakarta airport, we are
\nconcerned if these weapons are meant for another terror attack,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The official said the Filipinos were nabbed when their boat
\ngot stuck in a sandbank as they sought shelter on one of the many
\nsmall islands.<\/p>\n
Security has been heightened and \"our forces have been ordered
\nto prevent anyone -- militants or migrants -- from entering and
\nseeking sanctuary in Malaysia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Only last week, Malaysian and Philippines security officials
\nmet in Kuala Lumpur and pledged to exchange intelligence in an
\nattempt to crush cross-border crime.<\/p>\n
But the porous nature of the border makes arms trafficking,
\npiracy and the entry of illegal Filipinos into Malaysia
\nproblematic.<\/p>\n
Sabah is located a short boat ride from the Philippine
\nprovince of Mindanao where government forces are battling Muslim
\nseparatists.<\/p>\n
The newspaper report said it could not be confirmed if the
\ndetainees were members of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), the regional
\nterror network, or part of the Philippines Moro separatist
\nrebels, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who are active
\nin southern Philippines.<\/p>",
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