The suspects had entered Malaysia illegally from Tarakan and Nunukan, Indonesia and planned to enter southern Philippines to join the terrorist group. On Dec 6, a 50-year-old Filipino suspected of having ties with the Abu Sayyaf group's supreme leader was arrested here. The suspect was believed to have recruited Filipinos around Kepong, here to join the Abu Sayyaf group. The suspect was previously arrested in Turkey in September last year for being involved in terror activities in Iraq and Syria. He entered Malaysia in early December this year from a neighbouring country and was arrested through a foreign enforcement agency intelligence.

Source: New Strait Times December 22, 2017 12:11 UTC