A Pakistani national suspected of being a trainer of the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) was recently denied entry to the Philippines via Clark International Airport in Pampanga, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Monday.
Clark Immigration Officer Marc Red Mariñas, in a report to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, identified the suspected terrorist trainer as Naeem Hussain, 36, who was turned away when he arrived aboard an Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai last September 22.
“This is the second attempt of Hussain to enter the country, the first [was] at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport [Naia],” Mariñas added.
Hussain was immediately excluded and booked on the first available flight to his port of origin, Dubai.
“He was turned away because he is on our alert list of suspected international terrorists for being an alleged trainer of Daesh,” Mariñas said. Daesh is the alternative name of ISIS.
Mariñas said ISIS members have been waging a fanatical and brutal war against the US and its coalition partners in Iraq and Syria where it wants to establish an Islamic caliphate.
It was learned that Hussain has been on the watch list of the military intelligence community, which sought the BI’s help in monitoring the Pakistani’s possible entry, or departure, from the country.
When interviewed, Hussain claimed that he had been working as a digital designer for the last 16 years, and that he traveled to the Philippines to visit his Filipina girlfriend who lives in Olongapo City.
Records also showed Hussain was previously denied entry to the Philippines last May when he attempted to enter the country, from Dubai, via the Naia.
Meanwhile, a soldier and a member of the local affiliate of the IS were killed on Sunday after a joint team of Army personnel and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation clashed with a band of Maute Group terrorist in Lanao del Norte.
Capt. Clint Antipala, acting spokesman of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, said a composite team of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, policemen and NBI agents were supposed to apprehend Maute Group members when they clashed with the group.
During the 10 minutes of firefight, which occurred at Barangay Malimbato and Upper Dimayon, Lanao del Norte, a soldier whom Antipala did not identify was killed.
A member of the Maute Group identified as Hadji Rasol Mambuay alias Mercury was also killed. The team recovered an M-16 rifle, a hand grenade, a short magazine, two handheld radios and several pieces of homemade bombs. With Joel R. San Juan and Rene Acosta