Suspected Pakistani terrorist nabbed in Zamboanga City

MANILA, Philippines — A Pakistani man who is suspected to be a member of the Dawlah Islamiya terrorist group was arrested on Tuesday in Zamboanga City.

The Dawlah Islamiya allegedly has links to the terrorist Islamic State and the Maute group.

Waqar Ahmad, 36, was arrested by joint operatives of the Mindanao Intelligence Task Group (MITG) of the Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente on Wednesday said the arrest of Ahmad was the result  of “intensive surveillance” conducted by over several days by members of the PNP Intelligence Group in the region.

Citing international intelligence reports, Morente said Ahmad was set to meet a leader of the Abu Sayyaf group in Basilan to plan a series of suicide bombings with targets in the province of Zamboanga.

“He (Ahmad) will be deported as his presence here is inimical to national security. He also violated our immigration laws by working here without applying for an employment visa,” the Morente said in a statement.

According to the records of the BI, Ahmad arrived in the country last April 19 and worked as a storekeeper and collector in his uncle’s appliance center in Zamboanga City even without the proper work documents.

With the arrest, Morente said Ahmad will be included in the BI blacklist and will be  banned from re-entering the country.  (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)