MILF faction in Sri Lankan's kidnap - AFP

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The military suspects that a faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was behind the kidnapping of a Sri Lankan peace worker in Basilan.

This, despite the MILF’s earlier pronouncement that it would help locate kidnap victim Umar Jaleel, of the Brussels-based Nonviolent Peaceforce, who was seized in Lamitan last Feb. 13.

1Lt. Steffani Cacho, spokesman of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command, said the Basilan crisis management committee has identified Abu Sayyaf leader Puruji Indama as the one now holding Jaleel captive reportedly in Tuburan town.

Indama’s group colluded with the group of MILF commander Usman Lidjal, Cacho said. – Roel Pareño