Troopers from the Maguidanao-based 6th Infantry Division have sighted Abu Sayyaf bomb expert Abdul Basit Usman during operations in Shariff Aguak town last Tuesday.
However, soldiers failed to hit the latter as the brigand made a hasty escape on, said Col. Dickson Hermoso, 6th Infantry Division spokesman, on Thursday.
He added that Usman was making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) when surprised by the military.
Hermoso stated that they are looking into the possibility that the ASG bomb expert was helping Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) make its own IEDs.
"We have establish a connection as Basit has existing alliances with the BIFF and the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). And lately, we have been recovering a lot of IEDs in our area," he said in Filipino.
Hermoso said they are still determining whether the BIFF is getting funding from the JI aside from help in making its IEDs.
The 6th Infantry Division spokesman said the BIFF uses IEDs in their extortion bids in the area.
Basit was arrested earlier in 2006 but managed to escape.
US authorities has placed a bounty of US$ 1 million on the former's head.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=652812
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