Abu Sayyaf member tagged in kidnapping heads to jail

From the Philippine Star (Sep 28): Abu Sayyaf member tagged in kidnapping heads to jail

A captured Abu Sayyaf member, tagged in the kidnapping of an American mother and son in Zamboanga City, will be committed to the city jail on Monday, an official said.

Chief Inspector Joel Tuttuh, spokesman of City Police Office, said the suspect Wajir Arijani known with his aliases as Abu Miqtad and Muhajid Wajir remains in the custody of the police while waiting for the commitment order by the court.

Tuttuh said Arijani, a follower of Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf leader Furuji Indama, was arrested last Friday, 4 p.m. by the tracking police forces near the Zamboanga City Medical Center in Barangay Sta. Catalina.

He said the suspect was tagged in the kidnapping of naturalized American Filipina Jerfa Lunnsman and her son Kevin last July 12, 2010.

Tuttuh said the suspect has a warrant of arrest issued by Basilan court Judge Peter Eisma in connection with the abduction of the Lunnsmans.

Arijani claimed during investigation that as an orphan he was introduced by his uncle to the Abu Sayyaf group and became a follower of Hatib Sawadjaan before he joined the group of Furuji Indama after the former died in the encounter.

The police said the captured Abu Sayyaf member also claimed that he went on hiding after he bolted out from the group when he was only given a meager share from a heist they conducted in Basilan.

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/09/28/1504906/abu-sayyaf-member-tagged-kidnapping-heads-jail