According to a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mohamas Amin, who had a 600,000 Philippine peso (RM51,000) bounty on his head, was arrested about 4am on Saturday in Quezon City.

Also arrested were Bilal Taalam, the owner of the house where Amin was staying, and a companion of Amin, Adnan Malangkis.

Police believe all three men had links with the Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf group.

Eight other tenants in the house are also being investigated.

Amin was presented to the media during a press briefing by the police yesterday.

Police seized a fragmentation grenade, several rounds of ammunition, various identification cards, a blueprint of a condo mall in Quezon City and a cellular phone, during the raid, said the report.

Interrogation revealed that Amin was planning to stage bombing attacks in the heart of Manila.

According to the report, Amin, who also goes by the names Asman, Akman Amin and Amin Aklam, already had an arrest warrant against him pertaining to a murder case in Jolo, Sulu.

The suspects in custody face different charges. Apart from facing charges of possessing firearms and explosives, Amin is also accused of concealing his true identity.

He is believed to have had an alliance with three suspected suppliers of arms of the Abu Sayyaf and other political warlords in Zamboanga, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.

Taalam is facing charges of harbouring a fugitive and obstruction of justice.