The arrest late Tuesday of a ranking leader of the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was a huge setback for lawless
group, both the military and the BIFF separately said.
“It’s a big blow to the BIFF, they lost a middle level
leader believed to be behind the series of improvised bomb attacks in
Maguindanao,” Capt. Joan Petinglay said.
Petinglay, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division,
said in a radio interview that community participation in the campaign against
the lawless group paid off with the arrest of Hassan Indal, 51, BIFF vice chair
for internal affairs and leader of the group’s 4th division.
Indal was also the BIFF's tactician and in-charge of
indoctrination of the group's new recruits.
Indal, also known as Abu Hazam/Hassan, was arrested in a
safe house in Barangay Kalanganan Mother, Cotabato City
Awakened in the presence of soldiers and police officers,
Indal did not resist arrest. But his son, Ali Indal, grabbed the M-16 Armalite
rifle beside him in an attempt to prevent the arresting officers, according to
Colonel Ranulfo Sevilla, 5th Army Special Forces Battalion, said.
"When our troops knocked on Indal's home, it was his
son who opened the door with an M-16 Armalite rifle," Sevilla said.
"Our troops over-powered him and we seized the rifle but he grabbed
another rifle," he added.
With their rifles ready, the lawmen fired at Ali, killing
him on the spot, Santos
Petinglay said Indal had been hiding in Barangay Kalanganan
to avoid the skirmishes between government forces and BIFF in Datu Salibo,
Maguindanao which started Friday last week.
But Abu Misri Mama, speaking for the BIFF, told reporters that
Indal was in Cotabato
City
“He was not hiding, yes it was a big blow for the BIFF but
that is normal in revolutionary movement,” Mama said in Filipino, referring to
Indal’s arrest.
Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th Infantry Division
commander, lauded the civilian informant who provided Army and police
intelligence information on the location of Indal.
"This is an accomplishment not only of the security
forces but of the entire community because Indal was one of the BIFF leaders
who continually sow terror to civilians by laying IEDs and attacking
communities,” Pangilinan said.
"We are thankful for the growing awareness of the
community in fighting terrorism by providing essential information for his
capture," he added.
Petinglay said Indal was informed of the cause of his arrest
and was informed of his rights, including his rights to seek legal counsel.
Recovered from Indal’s house were an M-653 Armalite rifle, a
cal. 45 pistol, a fragmentation grenade and ammunition.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=855687
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