The man, identified as Apo Kahumbo who operated from the Tawi Tawi chain of
islands, has been wanted by both the Philippine and Malaysian police for many
years.
He and his group of gunmen are also linked to another notorious gang of
kidnappers headed by the Muktadil brothers, who have been identified by Malaysian
police as being responsible for several recent abductions in Sabah .
Philippine National Police Tawi Tawi chief Col Joey Salido told The Star that
Kahumbo was detained early yesterday in a joint operation involving several
security agencies at one of the Tawi Tawi islands, less than a half-hour boat
ride from Sabah 's east coast.
Security
officials, said Col Salido, were now verifying the man's background
information, including his origin, age and the gunmen in his group.
Kahumbo, he
said, was being held by the Philippine security forces at the Tawi Tawi
provincial capital of Bongao.
However, he declined to say how and exactly where
Kahumbo was detained, other than that "this individual is wanted for
questioning and was invited to talk to us".
"We are also looking to
verify whether or not he is responsible for a number of kidnappings in the Philippines and Sabah ,"
he said, adding that Kahumbo would be charged in court if there was sufficient
evidence.
According to Malaysian intelligence sources, Kahumbo was also known
as Mubin Halil.
The sources said Kahumbo might also have been responsible for
the latest Pulau Mabul attack, during which Filipino gunmen fatally shot Marine
Police Kpl Abdul Rajah Jamuan, 32, and kidnapped his colleague Kons Zakiah
Aleip, 26, from the Mabul Water Bungalows Resort on July 12.
According to the
sources, Kahumbo had been one of the masterminds responsible for several
kidnappings in Semporna, Lahad Datu and Kunak since early this year.
Philippine
intelligence sources based in Zamboanga
City
They believed
Kahumbo commanded a gang of eight gunmen, identified only as Amilbangsa,
Roslam, Tamsi, Seahorse, Abrasar, Adunay, Nikson and Darwin
"Kahumbo's group is clan based.
Most of the members are his relatives," said a source.
Intelligence
sources also believed the Kahumbo gang and the Muktadil brothers with another
group known as Anjang-Anjang were collaborating and supporting each other in
the cross-border kidnappings.
Malaysian police recently released photographs of
two members of the Muktadil brothers group who are wanted for kidnappings in Sabah .
According to the sources, the Muktadil brothers
were led by Badong, who is a protégé of Kahumbo.
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