MANILA: The Philippine National Police (PNP) has mobilised its elite intelligence units to dismantle possible terror cells after the arrest of a Jordanian national linked to the suspects in the deadly Bondi Beach shooting, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported.
The PNP Intelligence Group is coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to investigate Mohammad Saleh Odeh, 65, arrested in Pagadian City on Monday (March 2).
"We are leaving no stone unturned in tracing the movements and connections of any terror group in the country," PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement Wednesday.
"Our goal is to ensure that any potential threats are neutralised in the soonest possible time; the safety of every Filipino remains our top priority," he added.
Odeh was arrested for overstaying and conducting business without a visa. He reportedly obtained a Temporary Residence Visa in 2023 that was valid until March 2025.
Investigators found he had links to individuals suspected in the Dec 14, 2025 attack near Bondi Beach, where father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people.
"We want to clarify his actual connections with the suspects and understand what activities he engaged in while in the Philippines," Nartatez said of Odeh. - Bernama-PNA
