MANILA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian national suspected of being a bomb expert was arrested in the southern Philippines by local security forces early Wednesday morning, a regional military spokesman said.

    Mohamad Said, who is also known by his aliases Mohamad Sayed and Abu Hussien, was arrested following a raid by combined military and police forces at 12:20 a.m. Wednesday local time (1620 GMT Tuesday) in the country's southern city of Cotabato, said Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army's 6th Infantry Division.

    The forces have recovered some materials to make bombs from Said and are trying to know whether he has links with terrorist groups.

    Likewise, Ando could not say whether Said was planning any attack at the time of his arrest.

    But Said denied that the seized items were from him.

    "He (Said) denied (owning the materials recovered)," said Senior Superintendent Willie Danggane, chief of the Cotabato City police.

    Said claimed having stayed in the country for two years and that during his stay in Cotabato, he was engaged in teaching Islamand Rabaic reading, including reading of the Koran, Danggane said.

    The raid at Said's apartment was by virtue of a search warrant issued by a local judge for alleged violation of Republic Act 8294or Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives, said the police chief.

    As of posting time, Said is under the custody of the Cotabato City police.