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.