4 Abu Sayyaf with ISIS links captured in Zamboanga

Posted to the Mindanao Examiner (Oct 13, 2020): 4 Abu Sayyaf with ISIS links captured in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Four Abu Sayyaf militants, including a senior member with links to ISIS, were captured in separate operations in the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga, national police chief Camilo Cascolan announced on Monday.

Police photos show the arrested Abu Sayyaf suspects in Zamboanga City.

Cascolan said one of the suspects, Hassan Anang Mohammad, who was captured in his hideout Sunday, is being implicated in the brutal murder of the 71-year old Doroteo Gonzales in May 2009.

Gonzales, a carpenter in Zamboanga City, was beheaded in Basilan province after his family failed to pay P25 million ransom in exchange for his life.

Mohammad was the second militant arrested in Gonzales’ murder. In August, Brig. Gen. Jesus Cambay Jr, the regional police chief, also announced the capture of Jamiul Nassalon in Caliran village in Zamboanga Sibugay’s Mabuhay town.

Cascolan, who was here over the weekend, said three other militants - Kadija Sadji, 31; Abdulman Sarapuddin Tula, 32; and Jailani Al-Rafee Sakandal, 31, were also captured here on Friday. Security forces recovered an improvised explosive hidden in a can of cookies, including two hand grenades, one .45-caliber pistol, rifle ammunition, batteries, concrete nails, electronic items and an ISIS flag.

He said the operations were carried out by members of the Police Regional Office-9, Regional Intelligence Group, Special Action Force, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

“Background investigation revealed that Sadji and Tula are both members of the Abu Sayyaf group and ISIS financial conduits of Dawlah Islamiya under Mundi Sawadjaan. Tula is identified in police records as in-charge of procuring logistics and provisions for the groups of Sawadjaan and Radullan Sahiron in Sulu.”

“Sadji is the wife of Al Asgar, son of the late Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Janjalani. She belongs to the same financial conduit cell with Amaida Salvin who was arrested in Zamboanga City in April 16, 2019, and Merhama Abdul Sawari, alias Meng, who was among four Abu Sayyaf group sleeper agents who died in a police operation in Parañaque City last June 26,” Cascolan said.

He said Sakandal is an active member of the Philippine Coast Guard and is being interrogated to determine his role in the activities of the Abu Sayyaf.

On Saturday, security forces also captured an Indonesian bomber Rezky Fantasya Rullie and two Filipino Abu Sayyaf militants Nur-Aina Alihasan, the wife abu Sayyaf fighter Ben Yadah; and Fatima Sandra Jimlani, also the wife of another terrorist, in Sulu province.

Rullie is believed to be the daughter of the Indonesian couple who perpetrated the twin suicide bombing at Jolo Cathedral on January 27, 2019. An explosive vest rigged to a pair of pipe bombs was recovered from the trio’s hideout in San Raymundo village in the capital town of Jolo. (Zamboanga Post)

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