RP vows to hit Abu Sayyaf with arrest of its leader
RP vows to hit Abu Sayyaf with arrest of its leader
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Agencies): The Philippine military expects to smash the Muslim Abu Sayyaf group holding 19 Filipino and two American hostages after capturing a key leader, officials said on Tuesday.
Nadjmi Sabdulla, 40, alias Commander Global, a top Abu Sayyaf officer on the ground, and three of his men were captured in the southern Philippines on Sunday.
He is the first of the Abu Sayyaf top brass to fall into the hands of the authorities.
The military said intense questioning of Sabdulla would elicit information which could help destroy the Abu Sayyaf kidnap-for- ransom group.
"Definitely we can get information that will lead to the arrest and capture of other leaders and their members," military spokesman Col. Danilo Servando said in the southern city of Zamboanga.
On Tuesday, the military recovered an arms cache in Saranggani province near General Santos City in Mindanao where Sabdulla was apprehended, Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, another military spokesman, said in Manila.
The 11 high-powered firearms were believed to have been used by the Abu Sayyaf in their deadly attack on the upscale Pearl Farm beach resort in southern Samal island on May 23, he said. Two resort workers were killed in the raid.
Security guards repelled the assault, which the government initially called an attempt to steal a speedboat.
"This is a big setback for them. I hope we can extract more information from these people that would help us destroy their group," Army Col. Pedrito Magsino said.
The arrest of Sabdulah, described by the military as the Abu Sayyaf's most respected commander and top plotter, was considered the most serious single blow yet to the 1,100-member rebel group, which fended off a major military assault last year and is dodging at least 5,000 troops on Basilan island while dragging recently seized hostages along. The group does not have one clear leader.
Sabdulah helped lead the kidnapping of 21 people, including 10 Western tourists, from a Malaysian dive resort last year. All but one, a Filipino resort worker, have been freed, reportedly in exchange for huge ransoms paid by Libya.
The Abu Sayyaf then raided the Dos Palmas beach resort, off the southwestern island of Palawan, on May 27.
Servando said Sabdulah, suspected of kidnappings as far back as 1988, is believed to be responsible for planning the assault.
The military, meanwhile, stepped up their hunt on Tuesday for the band of Abu Sayyaf rebels holding the 21 hostages in the southern island of Basilan.
Soldiers had clashed on Monday with suspected Abu Sayyaf kidnappers in the town of Lamitan on Basilan. A soldier was injured in the firefight.
"The Abu Sayyaf was securing some logistics when they encountered the soldiers. This is an indication that the group is securing logistics to support the main group," spokesman Servando said.
The military's reputation has been battered since the Abu Sayyaf seized 17 Filipinos and three Americans from a resort off the western island of Palawan on May 27.
The Abu Sayyaf kidnappers have repeatedly eluded military pursuit by thousands of troops and have killed four Filipino hostages and claim to have beheaded one of the Americans, Californian Guillermo Sobero.
Although they have released some of their hostages, reportedly in exchange for large ransom payments, the gunmen also seized more captives and now hold 21 hostages including American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham.
Arrested Abu Sayyaf leader Sabdulla served as spokesman for the group during a protracted hostage crisis last year involving largely European and Malaysian captives.
President Gloria Arroyo had offered bounties for the heads of Abu Sayyaf leaders after their latest kidnapping spree drove away tourists from Philippine resorts and rattled investors.
"The bottom line is we have arrested one of the leading personalities of the Abu Sayyaf," national police spokesman Superintendent Cris Maralit said.
"We are steadily gaining control of the Abu Sayyaf team and this could be what we are waiting for and other positive developments against the Abu Sayyaf."
Military spokesman Adan said Sabdulla's arrest would give the authorities a clearer understanding of the Abu Sayyaf's operations and help foil further "terrorist" action.
"There are names coming out, their structure is becoming more clear, their hierarchy, their chain of command, their future plans and their motivations," he said.
"Some of the things we knew. They planned to conduct terrorist activities, like bombings, we knew about that and we were ready for that.
"And their plan was to go to some tourist spots, and it is a good thing that this was foiled with the arrest of this top commander," Adan added.