Arrested arms dealer a Sayyaf member?

A combined police-military team arrested an arms dealer and seized a huge cache of firearms and explosives in his house in Talavera, Nueva Ecija last Thursday, authorities said.

The suspect, 43-year-old Mario Barrientos, a resident of Barangay Pula, Talavera town, yielded 17 Claymore mines, two C-4 plastic explosives, two 40-mm. rifle gre—nades, one hydra Baby Armalite, two 9-mm pistols, a caliber .38 revolver, a caliber .22 revolver, assorted magazines and several bullets for M-16 and calibers .45, 5.56 and .30.

Senior Superintendent Joel Goltiao, Philippine National Police spokesman, said autho—rities initially suspected that Barrientos, 43, a convert to Islam, of being a member of the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf, notorious for kidnappings and beheading hostages in Min—danao.

But Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, Central Luzon police director, said no link to terrorism has been established yet.

He said Barrientos allegedly had been contacted by a Muslim buyer looking for weapons and explosives.

"There were bombs and explosives recovered from (the suspect), but we still have to dig deeper into the case and... find out where he got the explosives," Querol said.

He said several people linked to the suspect were being inves—tigated.

Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia, Armed Forces vice chef of staff, also dismissed speculations that Barrientos belongs to the Abu Sayyaf.

He said the military would closely work with the PNP to probe where Barrientos got the C-4 explosives, of which only the military has an inventory.

Police and intelligence sour—ces, however, claimed that Barrientos, who passed himself off as a mechanic in Talavera, is an active member of the Abu Sayyaf’s bomb squad.

They added that Barrientos’ links with the Balik-Islam group of Muslim converts in Northern and Central Luzon were being established.

Last year, authorities raided Balik-Islam schools in Panga—sinan and Tarlac and seized high-powered firearms and explosives. — Christian Ryan Sta. Ana, Jaime Laude, Christina Mendez, Ric Sapnu