KUCHING: Former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari (pix) has been identified as the mastermind behind snatch-and-grab operations in eastern Sabah.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi fingered Nur Misuari as the man responsible for the latest incursion at Pulau Mabul, off Semporna, where a marine police corporal was shot dead while his colleague was abducted on Saturday.
Speaking after breaking fast with police personnel at the state police headquarters yesterday, Ahmad Zahid said investigations reveal that Misuari had been using mercenary groups from south Philippines to carry out kidnap operations along the eastern coast of Sabah.
He said they were carried out to raise funds to revive the front’s military wing, besides trying to re-exert its influence in the southern Philippines.
It is common knowledge, he said, that Nur Misuari is not getting support, and is not involved in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) peace deal signed by the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to resolve the Mindanao conflict in March.
“We do not have any direct relationship with Nur Misuari, but we believe he has a bigger agenda, and is conspiring with individuals who are said to be part of the Sulu Sultanate, which aims to take over Sabah,” said the minister, adding that Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) officials are sharing intelligence with Philippine security authorities on the issue.
Heavily armed men from a southern Philippines militant group had arrived in two boats and attacked the Smart Water Bungalow Resort at Pulau Mabul about 11pm last Saturday.
Besides M-16 assault rifles, the group reportedly had a M40 heavy machine gun and a rocket launcher.
In a shootout with police who had arrived earlier to patrol the island, the kidnappers gunned down Cpl Abdul Rajah Jamuan, 32, before abducting his colleague, marine police constable Zakia Aleip, 26.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar subsequently said Zakia had contacted his 23-year-old wife, Sharifah Erna Benson, on Sunday night and informed her that he was "okay" but was being held by his captors.
Khalid said police strongly believe the gunmen were aided by local moles who provided them with information on their target prior to the attack.
Authorities believe the latest incident was motivated by revenge and anger following intense action against them by Malaysian security forces.
"The intruders wanted revenge because commandos from the Malaysian armed forces and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) had penetrated their fortress and rescued a Chinese national recently," Ahmad Zahid had been quoted as saying.
Police had last Thursday rescued a Chinese fish farmer abducted by five armed men in Pulau Baik, Lahad Datu on May 6.
Based on the resort's closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) footage, police believe it was the same group that pulled off a robbery at a fish farm at Kampung Bangau-Bangau on July 7.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1113606
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