Suspected Egyptian bomber nabbed in Cotabato City

By Ronron
December 19, 2007

An Egyptian Moslem missionary who is suspected to be a bomb expert was nabbed before dawn Wednesday in Cotabato City by joint police and military operatives.

Police and military officials identified the suspect as Mohamad Said, 42, who uses the aliases Mohamad Sayed, Abu Husein, and Sayed Amed Mousa.

Said was apprehended at the Women Islamic Center Apartment owned by a certain Ustadz Salama Abdulrakman located at Campo Moslem in Barangay Mother Bagua at around 12:20 am yesterday, said Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

The apprehension of Said was made by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Explosives and Ordnance Division of the Philippine Army, Task Group TUGIS of the military, and the Cotabato City Police Office by virtue of a search warrant.

The Region 12 police said the warrant was issued by Cotabato City Executive Judge Cadir Indar against Said for alleged violation of Republic Act 8294 or Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives.

Recovered from Said’s apartment were the following items: 60 millimeter ammunition; one nine-volt battery; three-meter detonating cord; one alarm clock; one-and-a-half pounds of powder substance (main explosive charge); two kilos of ball bearing; seven meters of firing wire; two pieces of toggle switch; a Christmas bulb; and, one booklet manual of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) organization.

Cotabato City Police Director Sr. Supt. Willie Danggane said materials were already set up and ready for explosion when discovered.

“The report I received last night was that the raiding team disrupted it because it was already going to explode anytime. So it was really set-up already,” Danggane said in a phone interview.

However, Danggane said that Said initially denied owning the explosive ingredients.

Danggane said Said claimed that he is just working as a teacher in Islam schools in the city as part of his missionary works.

“He said he teaches Islamic and Arabic reading. He is very good in reading the Kor-an,” Danggane said.

Said allegedly claimed having been in the Philippines for quite some time already. Dangggane said Said claimed to have been here for two years before, then went home to Egypt, and returned again. At the time of his apprehension, Said was already in his two months back in the country.

Danggane said he is not aware yet where the bomb was intended to be used since the investigation on Said is being done by the CIDG. As of yesterday afternoon, Danggane said Said was temporarily detained at the city police detention city.

But he admitted that there have been persistent reports of bomb attacks in the city.

Ando said authorities are still investigating if Said “has linkages with the Jemaah Islamiyah.”/DMS