Marine carnage suspect nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Police authorities here confirmed they have captured a militant suspected of involvement in the July 2007 beheading of Marines in Al-Barka, Basilan, following surveillance at the local wharf Friday.

Suaib Kalibun, alias Suaib Sabuddin, was arrested while he was about to board a ferry bound for Basilan at 3 p.m. at the Philippine Port Authority wharf.

Senior Superintendent Mario Yanga, Zamboanga City police chief, said a joint team of the 3rd Division Air Force intelligence unit and police, armed with a warrant of arrest, cornered Kalibun.

Yanga said the suspect has a standing warrant of arrest for seven counts of murder and six counts of frustrated murder in connection with the beheading of the 10 Marines killed in the Basilan encounter.

The Marines were on their way back to their base after searching for kidnapped Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi when they were ambushed by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Barangay Baguindan, Al-Barka town.

At least 14 Marines were killed and 10 were subsequently beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf.

The ambush, and the subsequent beheading, sparked strong protest by the military against the MILF that resulted in the filing of criminal cases against 127 personalities and several John Does.

Kalibun, who was detained at the city police headquarters, however, denied participating in the beheading of the Marines, saying his arrest could be a case of mistaken identity.