Tawi Tawi-based gangs crippled by deaths of two chiefs and with another on the run

From The Star Online (Dec 12): Tawi Tawi-based gangs crippled by deaths of two chiefs and with another on the run

KOTA KINABALU: With two key leaders killed and another on the run, the Tawi Tawi-based cross border kidnapping groups are now rudderless.

The drama took place during Thursday’s well-coordinated operations to eliminate the notorious kidnap-for-ransom groups based in the Tawi-Tawi chain of islands in southern Philippines.

Malaysia’s elite police squad, the Tiger Platoon, killed Abraham Ha­­mid, described as a kidnap kingpin by the Philippine military, on Thurs­day night.

The identity of the captured key player has been withheld.

Two other gunmen, in­­clu­­ding one notorious smug­­gler known as Alba­ris, who was with Abra­ham, and a hostage might have also been killed in the shootout that night.

They have yet to be found.

Abraham: Killed in Semporna. 

There is also a possibility that they might have escaped with the hostage and are trying to make their way to southern Philippines or hiding out in the numerous islands in Semporna.

Another kidnap kingpin, Jul Hassan, who was believed to be in Lahad Datu-Semporna waters on that Thursday night, was also caught in gunbattles early Saturday morning with Philippine Special Action Forces at Baligtan area near Sitangkai island.

Jul, who was in a group of five gunmen, was caught in a skirmish with the Filipino elite squad.

At least one of the gunmen was killed.

Sources said that Jul escaped despite his injuries. Security forces from Malaysia and the Philip­pines are now hunting for the remaining gunmen.

Intelligence sources said Jul and the four men were in a second speedboat that entered Lahad Datu on Thursday night while Abraham and six others were in another vessel.

Abraham’s gang snatched two fishermen and robbed the crew of three trawlers before they came face to face with the elite Tiger Platoon men who were lying in wait on a fishing boat.

Sources said that Abraham, who was once a fisherman, operated in Taganak and Sitangkai close to the border of Tawi Tawi.

Apparently, he turned to kidnapping to settle a loan from an influential politician in Tawi Tawi.
Abraham had taken the loan to buy fishing equipment.

He borrowed a speedboat belonging to the politician and began his life of crime, a source said.

Abraham was believed to have teamed up with several criminals involved in human and drug smuggling to pursue their activities in Lahad Datu and Semporna waters.

The source said Abraham “sold off” some of his kidnapped victims to the Abu Sayyaf group which is holding five Malaysian sailors and four Indonesians snatched from Sabah waters.

Abraham’s side had also teamed up with Jul’s group in several forays into Sabah, the sources said.

The sources said that Jul, who is his 50s, was previously a sub-commander with the Abu Sayyaf but gave it up to become a fishermen.

Later, he got involved in criminal activities before forming his own group to go into the kidnap-for-ransom business.

On Saturday, Philippine military’s Western Mindanao Command spokes­­man Major Filemon Tan said the Malaysian security forces had dealt a blow to the Abu Sayyaf by killing Abraham.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/12/12/kidnappers-rudderless-without-leaders-tawi-tawibased-gangs-crippled-by-deaths-of-two-chiefs-and-with/