Saturday, December 20, 2008 Military checks report on Sayyaf leaders' death
A TOP military official said there is a high possibility that al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron and a Jemaah Islamiah (JI) militant were killed in a recent clash in Sulu.
Military troops stationed in Sulu are continuously pursuing the remaining Abu Sayyaf leaders and members that are blamed for the series of kidnappings and bombings in Mindanao area.
Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga, chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said there were indications that Sahiron fell off his horse after government troops have recovered the bandit leader's lifeless stallion following a clash last December 7 in the town of Talipao.
The 60-year-old Sahiron usually rides on a horse for mobility due to his old age, Allaga said.
"He [Sahiron] is not separating from his horse," Allaga said.
With his age, Sahiron is the oldest among the remaining Abu Sayyaf leaders, he said.
Sahiron is also known as the one armed-bandit leader since one of his arms was amputated several years ago due to bullet wounds.
Allaga, however, said the troops are still verifying if Sahiron was indeed killed during the clash since his body was not recovered.
Also, the troops are checking out the identity of the JI member killed during the December 7 clash, which killed nine government soldiers. (Bong Garcia)
