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Thursday, May 01, 2008
Troops capture JIs, Abu Sayyafs bomb-making camp in Sulu
By Bong P. Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Government troops have captured Wednesday a bomb-making camp of the al-Qaeda-linked militants in the island province of Sulu, south of Zamboanga City, a top military official said.
Brigadier General Juancho Sabban, the military's Joint Task Force Comet (JTFC) chief, said the bomb-making camp fell into the hands of the troops after heavy fighting shortly before noontime Wednesday.
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Troops bombarded the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorists and al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits' camp on Jolo island before dawn with artillery and mortar fire. About 300 Philippine Marine and Army commandos battled around 200 militants, overrunning the camp by 7 a.m., said Sabban.
Sabban said the camp is situated in the forested area of Kagay village in the municipality of Indanan.
A soldier was wounded in the clash, while casualties were not immediately determined on the enemy side. The troops, however, believed that the combined JI militants and bandits suffered heavy casualties.
Major Eugenio Batara Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, said the "surgical attack" started following reports that the camp is being used to manufacture bombs.
Sabban ordered the "surgical attack" on the camp after intelligence reports indicated an "unusual convergence" of leaders of the Abu Sayyaf group.
"We launched a surgical attack at the camp of the Abu Sayyaf and JI, which is their main camp in Indanan, after getting reports that Radulan Sahiron and Omar Patek are there, about 200 of them," the official said.
"I think they are planning to do something big, so we beat them to it (with) a pre-emptive strike," Sabban told reporters in a telephone interview from Jolo.
According to Batara, the bandits who clashed with the soldiers is led by Gumbahali Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula, one of the remaining bandit leaders who was also involved in 2000 mass kidnapping in Sipadan, Malaysia.
Westmincom chief Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga meantime said there are at least 10 JI terrorists hiding in Sulu.
The military troops believed the bomb-making camp is the source of explosives used during the April 13 bombings in Zamboanga City after finding out that homemade bombs similar to those used in attacks in nearby areas are assembled on it, which are typically rigged from 81 mm mortar rounds.
Superintendent Jonathan Perez, officer-in-charge of the Zamboanga City Police Office, said one of the three bombing suspects in Zamboanga City was identified as Joel Salim alias Abu Maja, an explosive expert of the Abu Sayyaf group.
Glass panels of the Immaculate Concepcion Metropolitan Cathedral Church located along La Purisima Street in downtown Zamboanga and two vehicles were damaged in the explosion that took place shortly after 4 a.m. of April 13.
Another bomb exploded few minutes after in front of a building that houses a government office and a bank in Veterans Avenue, 1.5 kilometers east of the Cathedral.
No one was killed or injured in the two explosions, but manhunt continues aimed to arrest the three suspects.
Collateral damage
Sabban dismissed any possibility of collateral damage, saying the area of operations is in the isolated jungle of the Sulu province.
The bandits are in seclusion because of the sustained military campaign and the lack of support from the Sulu people, he added.
"We are confident that there will be no collateral damage, since the Abu Sayyaf camps are in areas, very distant from the civilian communities. Rest assured, the operation is with complete and due regard to the safety of the innocent civilians and their properties. They are the very reasons why we risk our lives to pursue these terrorists," Sabban declared.
Not against MNLF
Sabban also clarified that the operation is not against the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
"No way this operation is meant against the MNLF. They are not our targets. We are primarily after the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) and the JI," Sabban underscored.
He said the MNLF are sincere in cooperating with the government and the ones who pinpointed the location of the terrorists' hideout.
We have been given information about the hideout since the MNLF believe that these Sayyafs and JI are the primary agents of violence in Sulu.
The military commander said they sincerely respect and strictly adheres to the provisions stipulated in the 1996 peace agreement forged by the government and the MNLF.
On the other hand, Sabban said implementation of development programs are ongoing to clear the path for Sulu's journey to peace and progress, which terror has delayed for so long.
He said they should not be impeded in its operations against ASG and JI to ensure the realization of these development efforts.
The ultimate reason of this offensive is for the people to finally live in safety without the fear that they could be held captive at any time in any place, Sabban said. (AP/VR/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (May 1, 2008 issue)
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