Abu Sayyaf members arrested in Zamboanga City
MANILA, Philippines — Two police operations in Zamboanga City yielded the arrests of a number of suspect Abu Sayyaf Group members over the weekend, the chief of the national police said Monday.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Police Gen. Camilo Cascolan disclosed that on the early morning of Friday, October 9, elements of the Police Regional Office-9, Regional Intelligence Group, Special Action Force, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group served a search warrant on a residence along Love Drive, Kampo Islam, Barangay Lower Calarian, Zamboanga City for illegal explosives.
Three persons, namely, Kadija Sadji, Abdulman Sarapuddin Tula alias Mahn, and Jailani Al-Rafee Sakandal, were arrested for illegal possession of components for improvised explosive devices contained in a can of cookies; 9-volt batteries, electrical tools, assorted wires, resistors, metal clips and 500 grams of concrete nails.
Also confiscated were two hand grenades, a pistol, several rounds of rifle ammunition, and a black ISIS flag.
"Further investigation found that Sadji and Tula are both members of the Abu Sayyaf Group and ISIS Financial conduits of Dawlah Islmiya under Mundi Sawadjaan...Tula is identified in police records as in-charge of procuring logistics and provisions for the groups of Sawadjaan and Radullan Sahiron in Sulu," Cascolan said.
Sadji is the wife of Al Asgar, son of the late Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Janjalani.
Cascolan added that Sadji belongs to the same financial conduit cell with Amaida Salvin who was arrested in Zamboanga City in April 2019, along with Merhama Abdul Sawari alias Meng who was one of four Abu Sayyaf Group sleeper agents who died in a police operation in Parañaque City last June.
Sakandal, is an active member of the Philippine Coast Guard with the rank of Apprentice Seaman. He is undergoing further investigation to determine his role in the activities of the group.
'Alias Usi' arrested
In a separate operation also in Zamboanga City on Sunday, a team of police and military agents captured Hassan Anang Mohammad alias Usi, a senior member of the Abu Sayyaf Group involved in the kidnapping and beheading of one Doroteo Gonzales in Al Barka, Basilan in 2009.
Mohammad is the subject of a Warrant of Arrest issued by Hon. Jesus Carbon Jr., Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 16 of Zamboanga City for the crime of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom.
On Sunday, the Bureau of Immigration announced that it was also set to file a deportation case against Indonesian national Resky Rullie, the Indonesian suicide bomber captured in Sulu by government forces.
"As for the activities of these people who were arrested, of course we would say they are still planning to have bombings, most especially in Zamboanga...They can't move around as much anymore now because they know for a fact they're being watched and we will continuously monitor them," Cascolan also said. — Franco Luna
- Latest
- Trending
