Abu Sayyaf member nabbed in Zamboanga City buy-bust

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — An Abu Sayyaf Urban Terror Group member was captured by police in a buy-bust operation in Zamboanga City's downtown area on Tuesday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, director of Police Regional Office 9, identified the suspect as Arnisar Dangsani "Ali" Ismaluddin, 34, married and a native of San Raymundo Martirez, Jolo town, Sulu.

The suspect had been living in Logoy Diutay, Barangay Talon-Talon.

Beltran said Islamuddin was captured in a buy-bust operation at Plaza Pershing, which is at the heart of the city, by the City Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force and police intelligence personnel led by Chief Inspector Edilberto Alvarez.

He said police recovered a small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing suspected shabu, and another bigger heat-sealed plastic sachet also containing suspected shabu from the suspect. They also recovered the marked money used in the buy-bust.

Beltran said that police discovered while interrogating Islammudin that he is a member of the Abu Sayyaf UTG under Abu Sayyaf commander Mohammad Said.

The suspect is being detained at the Zamboanga City Police Office and will be subjected to "tactical interrogation" to find out whether he has other missions in the city, which has been on high alert against potential attacks.

The police and military have also tightened security against potential Abu Sayyaf terror plots as the city celebrates the month-long Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, a Catholic festival, in October.