MALAYSIA: A Malaysian man carrying more than 100 fake passports thought to be intended for al-Qaeda members on the run, has been arrested in the Philippine capital, Manila. Philippine police said last night that the Malaysian, aged 42, was a suspected leading member of the radical group, Jemaah Islamiah, believed to be co-ordinating militant activity in south east Asia.
Mr Azmi bin Sall, arrested at Manila international airport on Thursday carrying the passports and more than $50,000 in US currency, said he was a travel agent based in Kuala Lumpur, the police chief reported. He claimed he had planned to board a Kuwait Airlines flight to Bangkok.
The police chief said the passports were probably intended for use by senior members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network who have fled Afghanistan since the US-led campaign.
However, the Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines, Mr Mohammed Taufik, rejected the police claims and said the man was carrying passports of Malaysians intending to perform the haj who had applied for visas at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Manila. He was trying to circumvent a quota imposed by Saudi Arabia on haj visas granted in each country, said Mr Taufik. "He is not a terrorist, he has no links with bin Laden," he added.
The arrest came as a force of US troops prepared to take part in military exercises on the southern Philippine island of Basilan. The island is the home of the Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist group linked to bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
A unit of 240 US soldiers has already arrived in the city of Zamboanga to prepare for the exercises. However, the US and Philippine authorities are still squabbling over the terms of reference. The US is concerned about giving control of its troops to Philippine commanders.
Last month, Singapore arrested 15 people after uncovering a Jemaah Islamiah plan to bomb US targets. More than 20 Jemaah activists have also been arrested in Malaysia and the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Muslim gunmen yesterday ambushed a Philippine military patrol on the southern island of Jolo, near Basilan, killing at least five soldiers.