AUTHORITIES arrested an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) sub-leader who was wanted for the murder of a barangay official in 2014.

Hadji Faisal Abdulkarim was arrested during a counter-terrorism operation conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) intelligence group and Special Action Force (SAF) in Barangay Matata, Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan at 2 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, 2020.

PNP Chief Debold Sinas said Abdulkarim had a standing arrest warrant for murder and another for arson.

Sinas said Abdulkarim is a sub-leader of the ASG-Dawlah Islamiyah Basilan group operating under Radzmil Jannatul, successor of Basilan ASG leader Furuji Indama.

Abdulkarim was the primary suspect in the killing of barangay chairman Naber Usani in 2014, and the attack and burning of several houses in Barangay Bulo-Bulo, Sumisip, Basilan in 2004.

The raiding team confiscated three assault rifles, an M203 grenade launcher and live rounds of 40mm grenade ammunition from Abdulkarim.

Sinas said Abdulkarim harbors wounded ASG fighters from Sulu in his makeshift medical station in Basilan, where arresting operatives also found assorted medical supplies.

“We are subjecting mobile phone recovered from him to digital forensic examination to determine his links with other known terrorist personalities and possible foreign fund sources,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)