Abu Sayyaf unit in the hinterlands. Reuters file photo
Reports reaching Manila on Tuesday indicated that an intelligence operation promptly carried out by elements of the elite Philippine Army Special Forces foiled a bombing mission attributed to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) earlier, before dawn, in Barangay Kulay Bato, Lamitan City, Basilan.
A report reaching Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City said elements of the 19th Special Force Company pounced on at least five suspected ASG members at their hideout at around 3 a.m.
A five-minute firefight ensued, after which the bandits withdrew toward the direction of Barangay Bulanting, leaving behind their improvised explosive devices (IEDs), according to the initial report by Captain Geralfredo Andal.
Andal said that the outlaws were believed led by Edris Sampang, head of the ASG's urban terrorism arm operating in the area of Tuburan, Akbar and Lamitan.
Intelligence information regarding the presence of four bandits in the area were received as early as 6 p.m. Monday, and the military promptly sent out teams to locate them.
"The intelligence report indicated that they are planning to plant an improvised explosive device somewhere in the city. So we conducted security patrols to find them," he said.
The troops were able to ascertain the location of the hideout, and the operation was launched, triggering the firefight.
Among the recovered items were an M61 hand grenade, a soldering iron, a pair of long-nose pliers, two toggle switches, soldering lead, pieces of diodes, wires, as well as drugs paraphernalia.
Just a week ago, the ASG detonated a bomb in front of the local Catholic Church but no one was hurt in the incident.
The bombings were believed being undertaken by the outlaws to divert attention of the ongoing focused military offensives against ASG elements in the hinterlands.
In a related development elsewhere, in Kabacan, Cotabato, alert residents spotted an IED planted at the edge of the highway in Barangay Kayaga at around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday.
An explosive and ordnance disposal team was dispatched by law enforcers, which managed to defuse the bomb at around 1:00 p.m.
While the IED was described as not a very strong one, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson Capt. Joanne Petinglay said that it could still possessed the potential to cause extensive damage and loss of lives or injury because it was packed with nails and sharp objects, such as shards from broken bottles and hooked up to a cell phone trigger.
Provincial Governor Emmylou Lala Mendoza praised the vigilance of the local residents in helping to thwart yet another potentially serious blast in her province, even as she encouraged tighter cooperation between the civilian populace and security authorities.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106159/prompt-army-special-forces-operation-thwarts-asg-bomb-plot-in-basilan
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