Malaysian security forces find large arms cache, detain Filipinos
Malaysian security forces find large arms cache, detain Filipinos
Agence France-Presse Kuala Lumpur
Military officials seized a large number of weapons and detained 22 Filipinos when they attempted to sail into Malaysia through the waters off Sabah state on Borneo island, which borders the Philippines, a top security official said on Thursday.
The military and the police have deployed divers to search the seabed after the Filipinos reportedly dumped more weapons overboard when they were spotted by the military off the coastal town of Sandakan on early Wednesday, he told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
The Utusan Malaysia, a Malay-language daily, on Thursday reported the cache included a large amount of explosive material and 216 bullets.
The official said the 22 intruders included one woman. "I think they were trying to escape the current military offensive in southern Philippines," he told AFP.
"They are now under police custody and are being questioned," he said.
The official said police would attempt to find out why the group entered Malaysian waters and what the weapons were to be used for.
"With the most recent bomb attack at Jakarta airport, we are concerned if these weapons are meant for another terror attack," he said.
The official said the Filipinos were nabbed when their boat got stuck in a sandbank as they sought shelter on one of the many small islands.
Security has been heightened and "our forces have been ordered to prevent anyone -- militants or migrants -- from entering and seeking sanctuary in Malaysia," he said.
Only last week, Malaysian and Philippines security officials met in Kuala Lumpur and pledged to exchange intelligence in an attempt to crush cross-border crime.
But the porous nature of the border makes arms trafficking, piracy and the entry of illegal Filipinos into Malaysia problematic.
Sabah is located a short boat ride from the Philippine province of Mindanao where government forces are battling Muslim separatists.
The newspaper report said it could not be confirmed if the detainees were members of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), the regional terror network, or part of the Philippines Moro separatist rebels, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who are active in southern Philippines.