Abu leader, rapping jihadi make FBI terror list

MANILA, Philippines - Abu Sayyaf commander Raddulan Sahiron and Omar Shafik Hammami, an American operative for Somalia’s Shebab insurgents who uses rap as a propaganda tool, have been added to the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists.

Sahiron, who lost his right hand in a gun battle in the 1970s, is believed to be the leader of the Abu Sayyaf and is wanted for his alleged role in the kidnapping of an American in 1993.

He was indicted in US federal court in 2007 in connection with this. He is also accused of involvement in the 2001 kidnappings in Dos Palmas resort in Palawan.

The FBI website said Sahiron, believed to be in his ancestral domain in Patikul, Sulu “should be considered armed and dangerous.”

“Sahiron, the overall leader of the Abu Sayyaf since 2005, uses the aliases Radulan Sahiron,
Raddulan Sahirun and Commander Putol, the FBI added.

The US State Department has offered $1 million for information leading to the arrest of Sahiron.

The Philippine military welcomed Sahiron’s inclusion in the FBI list. Maj. Gen. Francisco Cruz Jr., Armed Forces deputy chief for intelligence, yesterday said: “Sahiron is included in our own most wanted list so it complements our effort in fighting terrorists.”

Sahiron was implicated in the kidnapping of American missionary Charles Watson in Pangutaran Sulu in 1993.

About 14 members of the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped Watson from his house in Narangay Simbahan.

Watson was then moved to the Abu Sayyaf’s jungle camp in Jolo where he stayed until he was freed on Dec. 7, 1993.

Sahiron was indicted in a US court on Feb. 27, 2007 for hostage taking and aiding and abetting and causing such act to be done.

Sahiron was also accused of plotting the kidnapping of Protestant missionaries Gracia and Martin Burnham and 18 others in Palawan in May 2001.

Also among those kidnapped was American Guillermo Sobero, who was beheaded in June 2001.

In 2002, Martin was killed during a military rescue operation, but Gracia survived and managed to write a book recounting her experience as captive.

About 300 members of the Abu Sayyaf operate in the country, the military said.

Hammami, also called the “rapping jihadi,” was born in Alabama but is now thought to live in Somalia and is believed to be a senior leader of the Shebab rebels, who were placed on the US State Department’s terror blacklist in 2008.

The group has “repeatedly threatened terrorist actions against America and American interests,” the FBI said in a statement.

Also known as Abu Mansour al-Amriki, Hammami has been releasing rap songs in English on the Internet since 2009 as a recruitment tool, although music is forbidden in Al-Qaeda’s strict interpretation of Islam.

In the songs, Hammami says he hopes to be killed by a drone strike or in a cruise missile attack so he can achieve martyrdom.

He invites young people to join the jihad to “wipe Israel off the globe,” and he encourages strikes against the US military in Afghanistan and

The FBI most wanted terrorist list was created in October 2001, shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. The Seeking Information-Terrorism list was then created to publicize efforts to find suspects not yet charged with crimes.

Abu Sayyaf man captured

In Lamitan City, Basilan, intelligence and security forces captured an Abu Sayyaf member tagged in the Lamitan siege, according to officials.

The suspect, a certain Abu Benjamin, was charged with kidnapping and illegal detention, according to Capt. Alberto Caber, 1st Army Division spokesman.

Caber said Lamitan police and military intelligence agents cornered Benjamin in Barangay Oval.

“Alias Abu Benjamin was involved in the infamous Lamitan siege in June 2001 following the Dos Palmas kidnapping and the invasion of the bandits in the city and took hostage of medical staff of the Jose Maria Torres Memorial Hospital,” he said.

Benjamin was taken to military headquarters in Zamboanga City and placed under tactical debriefing before he would be handed over to the court for proper disposition.

Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, 1st Army Division chief, commended the troops that captured Benjamin. - Alexis Romero, Roel Pareño