The Philippine military Friday said that they have arrested the wife and two children of suspected Jema'ah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist bomber Dulmatin in the southern province of Sulu.

The military and immigration agents made the arrest at 3 a.m. on Thursday in Sandah village, Patikul town, Sulu, the Armed Forces' information chief Bartolome Bacarro told reporters.

Dulmatin's wife Istiada Oemar Sovie was arrested because she was found to have violated Philippine immigration laws, Bacarro said. Taken along with Istiada were her two sons -- Alih, 8, and Edar, 6, he added.

"Istiada initially identified herself to the government troops as Susie Ibrahim Dalmalin but later admitted during the conduct of investigation to be Istiada BT. H. Oemar Sovie, an Indonesian national and the wife of JI leader Dulmatin," Bacarro said.

"They had no documents from the Bureau of Immigration. Initial information showed they entered through the backdoor," he said.

Bacarro said that Istiada is being interrogated for possible involvement in terrorist activities in southern Philippines, according to another report by radio station dzBB.

Dulmatin, along with Omar Patek, are wanted for the 2002 Bali terror bombings which killed 200 people, mostly Australian tourists. Both are believed to be hiding in Sulu with Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani.

Philippine authorities have linked the JI with the Abu Sayyaf and the extremist Rajah Solaiman Movement, which are allegedly in a conspiracy for the 2004 Super Ferry bombing in Manila Bay that killed 116 people.

Source: Xinhua