POLICE have arrested eight suspected Abu Sayyaf militants in an operation in Cheras, including a leader of the southern Philippines-based group.

Abu Asrie, 25, whose real name is Hajar Abdul Mubin, was arrested along with another Filipino, Abraham Embung, 29, and six Malaysians of Filipino descent from Sabah, reported The Star.

It said Abu Asrie was believed to be a member of kidnap-for-ransom group Lucky 9, which has links with Abu Sayyaf, which is based in the jungles of Yolo and Basilan islands in southern Philippines.

The Lucky 9 gang, known to kidnap victims for ransom payments of 10,000 pesos (about RM836), was involved in kidnap-for-ransom activities in Jolo town, said Philippine intelligence sources.

The Malaysians, believed to be from Sandakan and working in Kuala Lumpur, were aged between 20 and 52, the report said.

Sources were quoted as saying some of the suspects worked as security guards and were even members of the Civil Defence Corp.

Abu Asrie, who was based in Basilan, had entered Malaysia in 2015 after meeting Malaysian Islamic State militants Dr Mahmud Ahmad, Mohd Najib Hussein and Muhammad Joraimee in Basilan, according to sources. – September 3, 2017.