Sayyaf in Marines’ beheading nabbed

Police and military operatives have captured a suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group who allegedly participated in the ambush and beheading of 10 Marines in Basilan in July last year.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. identified the arrested suspect as Aramil Sulayman, of Barangay Matatag in Akbar, Basilan.

Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) chief Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina told Razon that Sulayman was captured by combined police and military intelligence operatives last Saturday in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan on a tip by an informant.

Sulayman is included in the list of most wanted terrorist and criminal suspects with a reward of P500,000 for his arrest.

Police said Sulayman is facing murder charges before the Basilan courts for the ambush and beheading of the Marines last year.

Sulayman was tagged as one of the 128 armed men who took part in the killing and beheading last July of 10 Marines who were part of the military contingent searching for kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi when they were ambushed on July 10.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) admitted the ambush, claiming the soldiers intruded into their territory, but denied beheading the Marines.

Some of those named in the beheading have links with the MILF, now finalizing a peace deal with the government.

A handcuffed Sulayman, wearing an orange detainee shirt, was presented to the media but he was not allowed to talk.

Espina said the capture of Sulayman formed part of the combined police and military operation under “Oplan Shoppers,” designed to neutralize wanted armed groups with links to the Abu Sayyaf.

“We have been monitoring the activities of about 100 suspects over the past several months,” Espina said. “We are actually hot on their trail.”

Razon, for his part, commended the PACER and Army operatives involved in the capture of Sulayman for the “significant strides in the campaign against the local terrorist group.” - AP