Janjalani dead, FBI DNA tests confirm

DNA test results have confirmed Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafy Janjalani was killed during a clash with government troops last September, Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. announced yesterday.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is proud to announce that we have neutralized the center of gravity of terrorism in the Philippines," Esperon said in a news conference.

Esperon said the DNA tests were conducted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which had taken samples for comparison from Janjalani’s brother, Hector, who is serving prison term for kidnapping and murder.

"The FBI test which was witnessed by three officers of the PNP (Philippine National Police) crime laboratory, states that the cadaver recovered last Dec. 27 is that of Khaddafy Janjalani, the acknowledged leader of the Abu Sayyaf group," Esperon declared while holding a copy of the DNA extracts in a news conference flanked by the commanders of the major AFP services.

A copy of the DNA extracts released to the media stated: "Executive summary on 19 January, 2007. FBI laboratories positively matched DNA samples from the suspected remains of Abu Sayyaf Group leader Khaddafy Janjalani with the elder brother’s, confirming Janjalani’s death."

One foreign observer, however, pointed out the DNA tests could be conclusive if the tissue samples came from Janjalani himself when still alive.

"In this case, the samples taken from the cadaver only cross-matched with that of Hector and not Janjalani’s himself... What if the remains were that of Janjalani’s relatives. Of course the DNA will matched that of Hector," the observer pointed out.

Esperon, however, stood firm that Janjalani is already dead, waving the copy of the FBI report.

"I must also thank US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, the JSOTF Commander of the US, Col. David Maxwell, and his men for their technical and service support to the ongoing operations," Esperon said.

Washington congratulated Manila for the successful military operations that led to the killing of Janjalani.

"Remains found on the island of Jolo in Sulu province in December 2006 have been proven by forensic and DNA tests conducted in the Philippines and the United States to be those of the terrorist leader. This is a major step forward in the fight against terrorism in the Philippines and in the global war on terror," the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement.

"The death of Khaddafy Janjalani is an important and positive step toward the ultimate goal of eliminating the ruthless and dangerous Abu Sayyaf group, and in destroying its links with international terrorist groups such as the Jemaah Islamiyah," according to the statement.

Esperon confirmed the killing of Janjalani four days after government troops killed Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Solaiman, marking a major victory of the government’s "Oplan Ultimatum" launched in August last year to wipe out the al-Qaeda-linked bandit group.

President Arroyo said the killing of Janjalani showed the resolve of the Philippine government to fight terrorism in the region its own way.

"No more is our nation a basket case in the region or a weak link in the fight against terror," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Malacañang also hailed the people of Sulu and Basilan for helping out the military to contain the Abu Sayyaf.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye also pointed out the US government made great contributions in neutralizing the Abu Sayyaf.

"Good intelligence sharing and the cooperation of the grassroots in Sulu and Basilan were largely responsible for the neutralization of the (Abu Sayyaf) leadership," Bunye said.

"More than ever, this administration is determined to eliminate the pockets of poverty in the area to deprive extremists of recruiting grounds for terrorism," Bunye said.

Mrs. Arroyo earlier vowed to finish off the Abu Sayyaf with a "hand of steel" through efforts of the AFP and the country’s allies.

End of the road

Janjalani’s remains were uncovered last month in a shallow grave in the dense jungles of Patikul, Sulu.

The remains were unearthed after four Abu Sayyaf bandits surrendered and led the military to the location of the supposed gravesite in Barangay Sandah.

Tissue samples were taken from the remains and compared with those of Janjalani’s brother Hector and other relatives.

Janjalani, who carried a $5 million bounty on his head offered by Washington, had been arrested but escaped from detention in 1995. He took over as Abu Sayyaf chieftain after his elder brother, group founder Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, was killed in 1998.

Janjalani, who fought alongside the mujahedin against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 80s, was killed in a clash with soldiers near Patikul, about a month after the military launched "Oplan Ultimatum."

The government has been targeting Janjalani and his henchmen, along with the two top Indonesian terror suspects — Dulmatin and Umar Patek — who are both wanted for the October 2002 Bali, Indonesia, bombings that killed 202 people, and also have provided bomb-making training to Indonesian and Filipino Muslim extremists.

The Sept. 4 gun battle also left six Marines dead. Government troops believed they had killed a number of Abu Sayyaf bandits, the military said.

Janjalani and his key commanders have been charged with several deadly attacks, including a 2004 firebombing of SuperFerry 14 that left dead 116 people in one of Southeast Asia’s worst terrorist strikes.

The Abu Sayyaf gained notoriety for mass kidnappings, including the seizure of dozens of students and teachers in Basilan in 2000, and abduction of 17 Filipinos and three American tourists — missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Guillermo Sobero — from a resort in Palawan in May 2001.

Sobero was beheaded by the bandits while Martin was killed during a military rescue in June 2002 in which his wife Gracia was wounded.

With Janjalani and Solaiman out of the most wanted list, this only leaves Radullan Sahiron, the so-called one-armed bandit, Isnilon Hapilon and Abu Pula among the senior Abu Sayyaf veterans still active, along with about 400 followers.

Janjalani, Solaiman and Sahiron had gained international notoriety for masterminding some of the most deadly terror attacks and mass kidnappings of foreigners, including the 2001 resort raid, the 2004 ferry bombing, and the Valentine’s Day bombings in 2005 that rocked Makati City and two southern cities that killed at least eight people and injured dozens of others.

The director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Michael Hayden, praised the Philippines and its cooperation with the US, saying Thursday, "in terms of what intelligence and military power can do, it’s done it in this part of the global war" against terror. - With Pia Lee-Brago, Aurea Calica, Roel Pareño, AP