‘Mang Boy’ is credible, say intelligence agents

Intelligence agents have found to be "credible" the claim of a former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) that terrorists tried to recruit him to plant bombs in one of many American apartment buildings in Saudi Arabia.

A source in the intelligence community, who interviewed the man known as "Mang Boy," said they are working with Saudi investigators to get "pictures" of the terrorists.

"He is credible," said the intelligence agent who asked not to be named. "His statements are consistent. In that sense, he could be used as a witness."

But a police official said investigators are determining whether Mang Boy could help Saudi police in investigating the bombings.

"Beyond that we can do nothing," the police official said. "We are taking his statements and interviewing him as we could not just take his words at face value and endorse him to Saudi authorities. It’s not for us to decide. It’s the Saudi authorities."

After interviewing Mang Boy, a police artist drew sketches of two Saudis who were said to have tried to recruit the former OFW to plant bombs in his workplace in Jeddah.

"Through diplomatic channels, the artist’s sketches will be forwarded to Saudi authorities for verification, comparison and possible identification," a senior official said.

Mang Boy assured police that he had no advance information that several apartment buildings in Riyadh housing American and European expatriates would be bombed.