Abu Sayyaf leader teaching at Basilan high school nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY - A public high school teacher allegedly doubling as a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group was arrested by police operatives in a predawn raid on Tuesday in Lamitan City, Basilan.

The Regional Intelligence Division (RID) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 9 identified the arrested suspect as a certain Nasser Usman, who teaches at the Tandung Ahas National High School.

The RID group backed by members of the Regional Public Safety Battalion and Special Action Force and elements of the Isabela City Police Station served the warrant of arrest at the suspect's home in Barangay Tandung Ahas at around 1:15 a.m.

The arrest warrant was issued by Judge Danilo Bucoy of Regional Trial Court  (RTC) branch 2 of the 9th Judicial Region in Isabela City for four counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention in connection with the June 2001 Lamitan siege.

The suspect was also tagged in the 1995 siege in Ipil town, Zamboanga Sibugay and the mass abduction in Tumahubong in March 2000 in Sumisip town.

The RID said that Usman was a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group tasked in the Islamic propagation and indoctrination of members.

The suspect has been brought to the regional intelligence headquarters in this city for tactical interrogation.