Abu Sayyaf implicated in 2000 Sipadan kidnapping nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- A suspected Abu Sayyaf member facing 87 counts of kidnapping was captured past midnight Thursday in a coastal village in Zamboanga City, a security official said. 

The suspect, identified as Faizal Jaafar, was arrested about 12:30 a.m. at Barangay Cawit by police and naval intelligence operatives, said City Police Office Intelligence Branch head Chief Inspector Edilberto Alvarez.

Jaafar also uses the aliases Jaafar Mundi, Abu Jaafar, Aren, Ben and Abu Raba, according to Alvarez.

Alvarez said operatives of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group - National Capital Region, Naval Intelligence Service Group, 4th Company of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) and his team from the city police office intelligence branch moved to arrest Jaafar following tips and monitoring on the presence of the suspect.

He said Jaafar was arrested on the strength of a warrant of arrest for kidnapping with serious illegal detention in connection with the 2000 Sipadan kidnapping incident.

Alvarez said the suspect was also charged with murder and illegal possession of firearms.

It will be recalled the Abu Sayyaf group seized 21 people -- 10 Europeans, 9 Malaysians -- and two Filipino resort staff from Sipadan dive resort in Malaysia and held them in Jolo in April 2000.

The victims were released in batches following payments of hefty ransoms.

The police said the suspect is expected to be transferred to Bicutan jail in Taguig, where most of the suspects involved and implicated in the incident have been detained.