Philippine citizens arrested in Manado

Yongker Rumthe, The Jakarta Post, Manado, North Sulawesi

Nine Filipinos are in police custody in North Sulawesi but so far there are no indications that they are linked to the regional terror group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).

The nine were identified as JA, alias Junical; BU, alias Bobi; AT, alias Abdul; ST, alias Saidina; BA, alias Benjamin; AS, alias Awe; NT, alias Nain; ARH, alias Dul; and SA, alias Suaib. They were arrested over the weekend for entering the province without proper documents.

"They are in police custody and are being kept near the police station in the city for further questioning," North Sulawesi Police spokesman Comr. Hery Dahana said here on Tuesday.

According to preliminary investigations, the Filipinos have made frequent visits to the city since 1997 for purposes of trade.

"They said they are here for trade and they do not know Al- Ghozi," Hery said.

Fathur Rochman Al-Ghozi was serving a 15-year jail sentence for his role in a Dec. 20, 2000, bombing in Manila, as well as for a plot to bomb Western embassies in Singapore. He escaped from his cell in a Manila prison last week.

The authorities in the Philippines have asked Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore for help in apprehending the escapee, who is a member of the JI. They also have offered a reward for any information leading to the arrest of Al-Ghozi.

Hery said the police had confiscated the nine Filipinos' identity cards and their vessel, the MV Honduras.

If their case goes to court, the nine could be facing five- year jail sentences for illegally entering the country.

North Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Jhon Lalo said the local police, in cooperation with local military authorities, had tightened security in Indonesian waters to prevent Al-Ghozi from entering the country.

"The nine Filipinos were arrested during a police operation at the Bitung Port. The operation will continue in small islands, including uninhabited ones, in the province," he said.

A local leader who asked not to be identified, however, expressed concern that the police were failing to prevent many other foreigners from illegally entering and living in the province.

"Many other foreigners in the province have overstayed but no action is taken because they paid money to enter the province without the necessary documents," this local leader said.