Malaysia sending team to identify slain JI terrorists

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – The Malaysian police is sending a team of experts to help identify the terrorist leaders killed during the airstrike Thursday in Sulu province, the military said yesterday.

Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes said they welcome the assistance provided by the Malaysian police to identify the remains of the 15 terrorists killed during the airstrike.

“Westmincom will provide the necessary support if it is a government-to-government agreement,” Coballes said.

He said Malaysia’s help is important since one of the terrorists killed during the airstrike is Zulkipli bin Abdul Hir alias Marwan, a Malaysian.

Marwan was a US-educated Malaysian engineer and a top leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). He also formed a terrorist group in Malaysia, the Kumpulun Mujahidin Malaysia.

Aside from Marwan, the airstrike also killed top terror leaders Muhamda Ali alias Muawiya, and Abu Sayyaf leader Gumbahali Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula, a founding leader of the terror group.

Also killed during the air strike were Abu Sayyaf members Abdulla Aziz, brother-in-law of Marwan, Ben Wagas, Haiji Tatti, close aide of Dr. Abu Pula, Muammar, Apo Mike, Abu Daud, Tuan Nas, alias Ainal, and a certain Sissan.

Indonesian JI members known only as Saad and Hajan were also believed to have been killed in the attack.

Marwan coordinated closely with the Abu Sayyaf as its top trainer in bomb making, and he was a close associate of Umar Patek, a JI leader arrested in Abbottabad in Pakistan a few months before the raid on top terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

Marwan was on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list with a $5-million bounty on his head.

Jumdail, on the other hand, was believed to be responsible for multiple kidnappings, beheadings, and atrocious violence around Mindanao.

Ali, meanwhile, was a Singaporean senior leader of JI involved in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people.

The military has yet to secure the bodies of the slain terrorists. Militants were believed to have retrieved the bodies of their casualties and buried them hastily.

Burgos, however, maintained that the information about the 15 terrorists’ deaths was credible.

“We stand by our information relayed by our people on ground. All these information corroborated each other,” he said.

Burgos said their field units are working closely with local officials to determine the location of the bodies.

“We already have information as to where the bodies were brought. We are still verifying them,” he said.

The air strike was launched by two Air Force OV-10 planes with night flying capability at around 3 a.m. Last Thursday at Barangay Duyan Kabau in Parang town.

Officials said the terrorists had not been able to resist as they might have been sleeping during the attack.

Only eleven of the 15 slain militants have been identified.

There was no information yet on the whereabouts of the 15 other bandits who were also in the area when the raid was conducted.

Coballes stressed that while it is important for the authorities to positively identify the terrorists who were killed in the operation “Oplan Nemesis,” he said the verification will be conducted in a manner that will not violate the Islamic culture and tradition on burial.

Coballes also said they would assist the mother of Marwan when she is permitted by the government agencies to retrieve the remains of the militant leader once the location is pinpointed.

“We shall respect the sanctity of the buried persons so much so that we shall not only seek legal means but also the consent of the religious leaders,” Coballes said.

Troops have been deployed to locate the possible sites where the slain terrorist leaders could have been buried.

Westmincom spokesman Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang said intelligence units and local assets were tracking down the possible mass graves of the killed militants.

While there has been no remains recovered yet, Cabangbang said the police have already recovered some personal belongings and retrieved blood samples at the site to help identify those killed.

Armed Forces spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said their intelligence operatives are now coordinating with their assets to determine the whereabouts of about 15 terrorists.

“Our intelligence personnel are now gathering information. The survivors of the air strike are the subjects of our continuous operations so they can be prevented from going to other areas,” Burgos said.

Burgos though declined to elaborate, citing the sensitivity of the operations being conducted.

He revealed, however, that they have been receiving information on the location of the militants and the bodies of their slain comrades.

“We are still validating the information,” Burgos said.

The military staged the air raid after receiving reports that 30 terrorists including foreign JI militants arrived in Sulu last December.

Burgos said the military would not be complacent even if last Thursday’s air strike had depleted the terrorists’ capability.

“They (terrorists) are disorganized and are on the run. Their lethality and capability have been severely degraded. But we will not let our guard down. We will continue the momentum,” he said.

Burgos said the surviving terrorists are still in hiding somewhere in Sulu.

“Their link with the JI has been cut severely,” he said. – Alexis Romero