A suspected member of an Islamic terror group who is said to have trained with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan has been arrested, the Singapore Government said yesterday.

Rijal Yadri Jumari, a 27-year-old Singaporean, was allegedly involved with Jemaah Islamiyah, a network of Muslim militants in South-East Asia, the Home Affairs Ministry said in a statement on its website.

His arrest was announced as a hunt continued for Mas Selamat Kastari, the suspected local commander of Jemaah Islamiyah, who escaped from a high-security Singapore prison last month.

Mr Rijal joined Jemaah Islamiyah's Al-Ghuraba cell in Pakistan, the ministry said. “He was one of several students talent-spotted by the JI to be groomed to become a future leader in the organisation,” it added.

He was sent to Afghanistan for terrorist training at an al-Qaeda camp in Kandahar in 2000, the ministry said.

While there Mr Rijal was allegedly trained in weapons handling, explosives, surveillance and guerrilla warfare —- and met Osama bin Laden a number of times. (AP)

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