Philippine citizens arrested in Manado<\/p>\n
Yongker Rumthe, The Jakarta Post, Manado, North Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Nine Filipinos are in police custody in North Sulawesi but so far
\nthere are no indications that they are linked to the regional
\nterror group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).<\/p>\n
The nine were identified as JA, alias Junical; BU, alias Bobi;
\nAT, alias Abdul; ST, alias Saidina; BA, alias Benjamin; AS, alias
\nAwe; NT, alias Nain; ARH, alias Dul; and SA, alias Suaib. They
\nwere arrested over the weekend for entering the province without
\nproper documents.<\/p>\n
\"They are in police custody and are being kept near the police
\nstation in the city for further questioning,\" North Sulawesi
\nPolice spokesman Comr. Hery Dahana said here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
According to preliminary investigations, the Filipinos have
\nmade frequent visits to the city since 1997 for purposes of
\ntrade.<\/p>\n
\"They said they are here for trade and they do not know Al-
\nGhozi,\" Hery said.<\/p>\n
Fathur Rochman Al-Ghozi was serving a 15-year jail sentence
\nfor his role in a Dec. 20, 2000, bombing in Manila, as well as
\nfor a plot to bomb Western embassies in Singapore. He escaped
\nfrom his cell in a Manila prison last week.<\/p>\n
The authorities in the Philippines have asked Indonesia,
\nMalaysia, Thailand and Singapore for help in apprehending the
\nescapee, who is a member of the JI. They also have offered a
\nreward for any information leading to the arrest of Al-Ghozi.<\/p>\n
Hery said the police had confiscated the nine Filipinos'
\nidentity cards and their vessel, the MV Honduras.<\/p>\n
If their case goes to court, the nine could be facing five-
\nyear jail sentences for illegally entering the country.<\/p>\n
North Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Jhon Lalo said the
\nlocal police, in cooperation with local military authorities, had
\ntightened security in Indonesian waters to prevent Al-Ghozi from
\nentering the country.<\/p>\n
\"The nine Filipinos were arrested during a police operation at
\nthe Bitung Port. The operation will continue in small islands,
\nincluding uninhabited ones, in the province,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A local leader who asked not to be identified, however,
\nexpressed concern that the police were failing to prevent many
\nother foreigners from illegally entering and living in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
\"Many other foreigners in the province have overstayed but no
\naction is taken because they paid money to enter the province
\nwithout the necessary documents,\" this local leader said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/philippine-citizens-arrested-in-manado-1447893297",
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