Detained Sayyaf leader’s wife nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The wife of an Abu Sayyaf leader was arrested while visiting her husband in a jail here, an official said yesterday.

Amira Hakim, alias Nah, was arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant for kidnapping with serious illegal detention, Chief Inspector Elmer Acuña, police Station 6 commander, said.

Hakim, who claimed to be 17 years old, visited her husband, Benzar Indama, with their seven-month-old baby and three-year-old son, was arrested before 11 a.m. last Saturday.

Benzar, brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Puruji Indama, was captured following an encounter with authorities.

Hakim was charged with kidnapping Preciosa Feliciano, 24, a resident of Barangay Tetuan here in July 2008. Court records showed that she was one of the caretakers while Feliciano was being held in Barangay Kurelem, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan by the Abu Sayyaf group.

Feliciano was freed after the family reportedly paid a P1.8-million ransom.