Philippine authorities arrest militant in alleged terror plot

Armed forces chief of staff General Hermogenes Esperon said the suspect was arrested Monday, but he did not give additional details.

"We arrested one yesterday," he said. "He just came from another country. He is a Filipino." 

Esperon said the suspect has links with three other foreign militants, who were arrested on different occasions since January and were believed to be planning to launch bombings and assassinations in the Philippines.

"They are definitely al-Qaeda-linked," he said. "They were supposed to bomb embassies and they were to take direct actions against our VIPs (very important persons)."//DPA - March 11, 2008