The page containing information on Kahir Mundos at the Rewards for Justice website of the US State Department (http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/khair_mundos.html)
A key leader of the Abu Sayyaf who carried a $500,000 bounty from the US government was arrested Wednesday morning in what authorities said was his hideout in Paranaque City.
Major General Eduardo Ano, chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the capture of Khair Mundos in Barangay San Isidro around 9:45 a.m. was the result of surveillance-drive efforts by the Philippine Army.
“It’s our Army intelligence unit that worked hard to pinpoint the whereabouts of this notorious Abu Sayyaf leader and they were able to pin him down at his safe house in Paranaque,” Ano said, adding that the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group assisted in the arrest.
The US Department of State “Rewards for Justice” website describes Mundos as a “key leader and financier” of the Abu Sayyaf who was arrested in May 2004 on money laundering charges.
At the time, Mundos supposedly confessed to arranging fund transfers from Al Qaeda to Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani for use “in bombings and other criminal acts throughout Mindanao.”
However, Mundos escaped from the provincial jail in Kidapawan City in 2007.
Aside from the US bounty, the Philippines also offered P5 million for Mundos’ arrest.
Ano said Mundos was forced to flee Mindanao because he was already “too hot to handle” for relatives and supporters in Basilan and Sulu.
“Hinahabol-habol sa Mindanao ‘yan. Dahil sa pressure kaya pumunta rito sa Manila para magtago. May mga relatives ‘yan dito sa Manila, eh (He was being hunted in Mindanao. Because of the pressure he came to Manila to hide. He has relatives in Manila),” the ISAFP chief said.
He quickly dismissed the idea Mundos was on a bombing mission in Metro Manila.
“No, no that’s not true. He’s here to hide,” he stressed.
Ano predicted the arrest of Mundos would be a big blow to the morale of his followers.
“Sa Abu Sayyaf si Khair Mundos ay malaki ang pagrespeto nila sa kanya. Dahil kasi malakas ang loob, siya ang nagsasagawa ng bombing, saka spiritual leader din nila. Talagang may standing siya sa (In the Abu Sayyaf, there is great respect for Khair Mundos. This is because he is daring, he carries out bombings, and is also their spiritual leader. He really has standing within the) ASG. Now, those people lost one of their leaders, siyempre makakaramdam ang mga ‘yan ng insecurity dahil ‘yung boss nila na si Mundos nahuli (of course they will feel insecure because their boss Mundos has been captured).
These past few days a good number of ASG leaders and members were arrested in different operations,” Ano said.
He described Mundos as one of the “best students” of the Indonesia-based terror movement Jemaah Islamiya.
“He is a true-blue Abu Sayyaf trained for bomb-making by the JI. The JI loves him very much. Kaya madalas kasakasama siya ng mga (Which is why he is a constant companion of the) JI,” Ano said.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/88868/key-abu-sayyaf-leader-with-500000-bounty-nabbed-in-paranaque
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