Muslim converts arraigned today at Makati court

The Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) is set to arraign today for rebellion charges nine alleged members of the Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM), a group of Muslim converts suspected of having ties with terrorist organizations Abu Sayyaf Group and Jemaah Islamiyah.

Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco identified the RSM members to be arraigned at the sala of Makati RTC Judge Encarnacion Moya as Hilarion Santos aka Ahmed del Rosario Santos; Abu Hamza Abu Hamid Al-Luzoni; Hannah Santos; Nurumija Amdal aka Ridz; Mursidi Balao aka Iding; Ismael Idiris aka Maing; Malik Mimuddin aka Malik; Anne Anover; and Bodot Abdullah aka Rashid.

The accused were charged before the Makati RTC in connection with the raid on the Zamboanga City hideout of RSM last Oct. 25.

Authorities seized a map of Metro Manila, 49 rounds of anti-tank rockets, six blasting caps, four M-16 clips, ammunition bandoleers, electrical tools, computers and subversive documents.

"After examining the record of this case, the court is convinced that there is probable cause to believe that the accused committed the crime as charged in the amended information. Wherefore, let a commitment order be issued and set the arraignment of all accused on Nov. 10, 2005 at 2 p.m.," Moya said.

He also ordered the prosecution panel to submit additional evidence on Nov. 15 against the other accused who remain at large.

These include Khaddafy Janjalani; Jamal Sali aka Abu Solaiman; PO3 San Amdal y Hassan; Fatima Santos; Tyrone del Rosaio aka Dawud Santos, Khalil Pareja aka Rash, Raffy; Pio de Vera, Abdul Kareem Averas Omar Lavilla, Mike Rueca aka Britney; and Ashty Dan.

Ahmed, also known as Abu Lakay, was arrested by lawmen last Oct. 25 along with his wife and five others in their hideout in Zamboanga City.

Velasco, who is handling the prosecution of the case, said the indictment for rebellion is warranted because the evidence indicated that the accused were members of the terrorist groups Abu Sayyaf or Jemaah Islamiyah.

"The bombing operations or terrorist attacks they launched are part of their overall objective to topple the government for the purpose of creating an independent Islamic state," he said.

The charge sheet stated that the accused acquired firearms and explosives and carried out several bombing missions in different part of the country from year 2000 up to the present, including, but not limited to the Valentine’s Day bombing that left four persons were dead and about 60 others wounded.

Velasco said new information from a member of Ahmed’s group has implicated Dawud and others in the rebellion case and thus warranted their inclusion in the list of the accused.

He did not identify the informant.

Dawud, according to Velasco, also jumped bail and is now in hiding.

In a radio interview, however, Dawud denied he jumped bail, saying he is ready to face the court to prove his innocence.

Dawud, a suspected member of the Jemaah Islamiyah, was arrested last March 22 and was charged with illegal possession of explosives before a court in Alaminos, Pangasinan.

He is currently out on bail.

An intelligence report has implicated TV broadcaster Julius Babao in the disappearance of the accused for supposedly helping him post bail.

Babao denied the charges.

Military officials said Dawud has ties with the Abu Sayyaf and members of the al-Qaeda-linked Southeast Asian region terror network Jemaah Islamiyah, who are alleged covertly operating in Mindanao.

Last April, Dawud, accompanied by Abu Jalil and members of their family sought an audience with Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, denying the allegations that they were part of a terrorist group.

Dawud and Jalil asked Gonzalez last April to place them under his custody to prevent them from being implicated in alleged attempts to bomb various parts of the country during Labor Day.

Military intelligence agents captured Dawud last March at the RSM compound along Harvard street in Cubao, Quezon City.

He later led cops to a safehouse in Fariview, Quezon City, resulting in the seizure of some 10 sacks of explosive components.

Dawud was also nabbed in May 2002 at an Islamic school in Barangay Malag, Anda, Pangasinan.

Also arrested were with Pio Abagne de Vera, Marcelo Cenar Egil, Allan Borlagnatan, Redendo Cain Dellosa and Angelo Trinidad, a suspect in the Feb. 14 bombings in Makati, General Santos and Davao cities. – Jose Rodel Clapano