LAMITAN CITY, Basilan - A preacher or ustadz was arrested here on Wednesday over a bomb explosion that left 10 people dead.

The suspect, 58-year-old Indalin Jainul, was accosted for illegal possession of explosive after he was found with a fragmentation grenade.

He was later implicated in the explosion of a vehicle that passed through a checkpoint here Tuesday, authorities said.

Additional charges of multiple murder, multiple serious physical injuries are being prepared against Jainul, authorities said.

• 10 patay sa pagsabog ng 'car bomb' sa Basilan

Jainul's relatives denied the accusations.

His cousin, Jahra Sattra, said Jainul had gone missing since Tuesday, the day of the explosion, and his relatives only learned that he was detained in the Lamitan City Police Station on Wednesday.

As an ustadz, Jainul also teaches at a Madrasah or Islamic school in his Barangay.