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Thursday, August 31, 2006
Sayyaf leaders, JI bombers still in Sulu: military
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The "high value" targets of Oplan Ultimatum are still in the island province of Sulu and are being pursued by government forces, a military official said here Wednesday.
Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) information officer Lieutenant Colonel Susthenes Valcorza said it is not true that the top Abu Sayyaf leaders and the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists they are sheltering had escaped to the nearby island province of Basilan.
Abu Sayyaf top leaders Khadafy Janjalani, Isnilon Hapilon, Jainal Sali alias Abu Solaiman, and Radulan Sahiron and Bali bombing masterminds Umar Patek and Dulmatin are dubbed as the "high value" targets of Oplan Ultimatum launched on August 1 in Sulu.
He said that even the citizens who are feeding them information had told them that the top Abu Sayyaf leaders and two JI members are still in Sulu.
The Wesmincom spokesman disclosed that a naval blockade is in place while ground forces continue to close in on the terrorist group.
The focus of the offensive is currently in the adjoining towns of Patikul and Talipao where the terrorists had fled when they were pounded with artillery by the soldiers in the municipality of Indanan.
Patikul is known as the turf of Sahiron, who is the oldest among the top Abu Sayyaf leaders.
The military said the Abu Sayyaf had lost over 10 members, including a mid-level leader, since the start of the offensive.
Abu Sayyaf group leader Abu Sulaiman admitted that at least five of their members have been killed in the month-long military offensive, but claimed the rebels also dealt heavy casualties on government troops.
The military, however, rejected Sulaiman's claim, saying only three marine and army troops have died and 31 others wounded during the offensives that started August 1 on Jolo island.
Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro said troops also captured at least one rebel encampment with a bomb-making area.
Sulaiman, on Washington's list of most-wanted terrorists, said the Abu Sayyaf is not intimidated by the American military helping Philippine troops tasked with wiping them out.
"Do you think you scare us with your high-tech weaponry and gadgets? We are only afraid of Allah and the day of judgment," Sulaiman said in a statement sent to news agencies.
He said Abu Sayyaf rebels immediately enforced a counter-plan after government troops launched their assaults, with clashes spreading near the mountainous towns of Indanan, Patikul and Sulu. He claimed the guerrillas killed as many as 50 soldiers. (Sunnex/With AP)
(August 31, 2006 issue)
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