Abu Sayyaf member arrested in Zamboanga for kidnappings in 2001

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Security forces arrested an Abu Sayyaf member allegedly involved in a mass kidnapping incident during a law enforcement operation in a coastal village here on Sunday.

Police Superintendent Luisito Magnaye, acting city police director, identified the suspect as Regin Onsing Nazirin, also known by the aliases Sahirun Asdatul, Imam Aling and Abu Nawas.

Magnaye said joint elements of the region's police intelligence, Coast Guard and naval intelligence arrested Nazirin at Baliwasan Seaside on Saturday afternoon.

He said the suspect has a standing warrant of arrest issued by a Basilan court for six counts of kidnapping.

According to Magnaye, the case stemmed from the suspect’s alleged participation in the abduction of plantation workers of Golden Harvest in Barangay Tairan, Lantawan town in 2001 at the height of the Dos Palmas kidnapping incident.

Nazirin was positively identified by witnesses and victims of the Tairan kidnapping incident, Magnaye said.