The Philippine National Police (PNP) is conducting intelligence operations against the alleged Filipino recruiter for radical Islamic group in the country.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano said a Middle East-based organization called “Hamas” contacted a Filipino to recruit affiliates who will carry out terrorist activities against Westerners and Middle Eastern nationals in the Philippines.

Ano did not name the Filipino who was contacted by Hamas but he confirmed that the alleged recruiter is being monitored by authorities.

"He is here. His status, he is a person of interest," he said.

Ano said authorities are not sure on how many people were in contact with the alleged Filipino recruiter but he noted his movement was being monitored by government forces since last year.

"The main (person of interest) is only one. This is more or less the contact of Hamas, but the number of people that he might use, we are not sure about it because this guy is going to Mindanao and Manila from time to time," he said.

"If I may say, we have monitored this since last year," he added.

Without providing specific details about the ongoing operation, Ano confirmed that the PNP were able to pre-empt terroristic plots against Israelis and Arabs in the Philippines.

"We cannot say it yet. It may compromise the ongoing operation. The PNP is into it and then we were able to pre-empt so far their plans so we will continue the intelligence operation and monitoring," he said when asked for further details about the alleged Filipino recruiter. Robina Asido/DMS