Captured Abu Sayyaf member Saddam Jelani is believed to be behind the murder of Taiwanese national Lim Min Hsu during the 2013 kidnapping raid at Pom Pom Resort in Semporna.
Saddam, described as an aggressive member of the Abu Sayyaf group, was reportedly part of the cross-border kidnap gang involved in at least two of the seven kidnap cases in the east coast of Sabah since November 2013.
He is known to work closely with Abu Sayyaf militants aligned to sub-commander Alhabsy Misaya in carrying out kidnap-for-ransom raids in southern Philippines and Sabah.
Filipino intelligence experts suspect that Saddam worked with the notorious Muktadil brothers in the Nov 15, 2013 daring raid during which they killed the 57-year-old Lim and abducted his wife Chang Ah Wei, 58, at the luxury resort.
Saddam is also suspected to be involved in the armed raid and abduction of Chinese tourist Gao Huayun, 29, and Filipina resort worker Marcy Darawan, 40, from the Singamata Reef Resort in April 2014.
Saddam was arrested late last month by Philippines security forces on suspicion of being involved with the Abu Sayyaf group that beheaded electrical engineer Bernard Then, 39, on Nov 17.
Filipino investigators are still trying to piece together Saddam's involvement in the beheading though they suspect that he was more involved in cross-border raids into Sabah's east coast.
They believe that Saddam's arrest together with the capture of Kadafi - one of the Muktadil brothers - would help in weakening one of Malaysia's most wanted cross-border, kidnap-for-ransom groups linked to the militant Abu Sayyaf.
Kadafi (whose twin brother Mindas was shot dead in Jolo in May this year) is in Philippines police custody.
He was arrested in a Jolo hospital after he suffered head injuries in an accident on Nov 27.
Philippines officials are continuing their hunt for the two other Muktadil brothers - Nikson and Badong @ Adzmil.
Saddam is under investigation for murder charges while Kadafi is being probed for possession of an illegal firearm.
Malaysian police are using diplomatic channels to obtain permission to question the duo on crimes committed in Sabah.
Kadafi was also linked to the Pom Pom kidnapping and the kidnapping of fish farm owner Chan Sai Chiun, 32, from Perak and his Filipino worker Maslan, 20, in Kunak on June 16, 2014.
http://news.asiaone.com/news/malaysia/abu-sayyaf-member-saddam-believed-be-behind-resort-murder
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