A Kenyan national with suspected links to the radical Al-Qaeda terrorist organization was arrested in the Philippines on Monday evening.
The man identified as Cholo Abdi Abdullah was nabbed while in possession of an assortment of weapons leading local police to speculate on what his motives might have been.
Police Major General, Amador Corpuz, Director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Manila affirmed that Abdi had been taken into custody at around 3:30 pm local time.
He was arrested at the Rasca Hotel in Iba, Zambales following the highly coordinated raid.
Reports by the Philippines News Agency revealed that the security officers apprehended the suspect after they granted a search warrant by the Mariveles, Bataan Regional Trial Court.
During their search at the premises of the suspect who was studying aviation at the All Asia Aviation Academy based in Pasay, officers allegedly found a 9-mm pistol, magazines and ammunition, an Improvised Explosive Device, a hand grenade and other bomb-making components.
"We are still investigating as to why he enrolled at All Asia Aviation Academy that is based in Pasay. They have a flight instruction school in Iba, Zambales. The suspect has been staying since 2017 in Iba, Zambales,” Corpuz reiterated.
The police commander maintained that the successful arrest of the Kenyan national was as a result of a joint effort of the intelligence operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and foreign agencies.
"The Kenyan national is identified with the Al-Qaeda. He pledged allegiance to the Al-Qaeda group since 2012 and he has been wanted for a long time. It so happened that he was last located in the Philippines that's why the foreign counterparts coordinated with the PNP and AFP for the immediate arrest,” the CIDG chief told reporters during his Tuesday press briefing.
Abdi is set to face charges for violations of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and R.A. 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosives) in The Philippines.
