MANILA, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian police have detained six Malaysians and two Filipinos suspected of linking to terrorist activities in that country, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Sunday.
Quoting anonymous military sources, AFP Public Affairs Chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said the terror suspects were detained last month by Royal Malaysian Police in Taman Desa Baiduri, Cheras in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the group is under custody at an undisclosed detention facility in the Malaysian capital, and now facing "charges for violating Malaysian statues."
"We have received reports from military sources confirming the arrests (of Malaysians and Filipinos). The group was collared for alleged involvement in and linkages to terrorist activities in that country," Arevalo said in a statement.
Arevalo said the report identified one of the arrested Filipinos as Hajar Abdul Mubin also know as Mheraiz.
"Investigation reveals that he is the right man of Abu Sayyaf Group sub-leader Furuji Indama based in Basilan," Arevalo said, referring to the southern Philippine island province also a known lair of the Abu Sayyaf extremists.
"The affiliation of the other (detained) Filipino, Abraham Bin Ebong, is still ascertained," Arevalo said.
Arevalo said the detention of the eight terror suspects is a significant development in the Philippine government's security cooperation with Malaysia and other neighboring countries in Asia.
The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia have recently agreed to enhance cooperation to enhance cooperation to prevent extremists allied with Islamic State (IS) fighters from establishing a caliphate in Southeast Asia.
Abu Sayyaf is one of the smallest and most violent jihadist groups operating in the southern Philippines. They are notorious for beheading their captives who refused to pay ransom. It has carried out kidnappings of both foreigners like Europeans, Indonesians, Vietnamese and even Filipinos.
The Philippines is now battling with another IS affiliated group called Maute that has overran the southern Philippine city of Marawi since May 23. The battle to retake the city continues and so far the conflict has resulted in the killings of more than 800.