Suspected ISIS leader, partner deny charges

MANILA, Philippines — Suspected ISIS leader Fehmi Lassqued denied the charges against him, saying that he was merely taking a break from class when authorities descended upon him and arrested him for possession of illegal gun and explosives.

 

"I don't own and I don't have in my possession those items allegedly recovered — specifically the gun, bullets and the alleged ammunitions. I just saw it for the first during the inquest proceedings already," Lassqued said in his counter-affidavit filed on Wednesday.

 

Lassqued, who has a Tunisian passport, was arrested by the police and military on February 16. He was charged with illegal possession of explosives on February 19.

 

The foreigner and his partner, identified as Anabel Moncera Salipada, were arrested following the service of a search warrant issued by Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 139 Presiding Judge Benjamin Pozon.

 

READ: Suspected foreign ISIS member arrested in Manila

 

Seized in their possession were a .45-cal. gun with magazine and live ammunition and several components for an improvised explosive device.

 

But Lassqued said that he only saw the confiscated evidence during the inquest proceeding on February 19.

 

"Even if the subject gun, ammunitions and other items will be subjected to fingerprint examination, my marks cannot be found there because I never touched it, held it, nor possessed it," Lassqued added.

 

He also said that he was taking a cigarette break from his Spanish class when the police approached him and told him that he is being arrested. He pointed out that no warrant was presented to him.

 

READ: Suspected foreign terrorist faces illegal possession of firearm rap

 

Salipada, in a separate counter-affidavit, said that she has not seen nor touched the gun and components of explosives police said are theirs. She also said that the authorities did not present a search warrant when they arrived at their apartment.

 

Last week, Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, PNP chief, said that the authorities also recovered an ISIS flag from the two.

 

Dela Rosa said that the police are still determining if Lassqued has links with foreign terrorists in Marawi City.