Authorities arrest 2 suspected Abu Sayyaf members
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities arrested two suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Zamboanga City on February 3, the National Bureau of Investigation announced on Thursday.
The NBI presented to members of the press the two suspects identified as Harub Jaljalis alias Indal and Pinky Ani Hadjinulla.
The two have standing warrants of arrest for multiple counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention from a local court in Basilan, over mass abduction of plantation workers of Golden Harvest Plantation at Barangay Tairan, Lantawan town, Basilan on June 11, 2001, NBI said.
“Both are believed to be members of the ASG-Urban Terrorist Group cell based in Zamboanga City,” said the NBI in a statement.
Jaljalis is believed to be a bomb maker for a faction of the ASG and is said to have received training from visiting Indonesian and Middle Eastern terrorists, said the NBI.
Authorities also suspected that Jaljalis acted as political liaison for foreign terrorists.
Jaljalis and his brother, Abu Sayyaf ember Isjanir Saccam Aminudin alias Abu Fatima, are said to be working with Hadjinulla “in doing reconnaissance work in Zamboanga Peninsula.”
Eric Distor, assistant director for the NBI Intelligence Service, said that Jaljalis was arrested in a canteen in Barangay Sta. Catalina, Zamboanga while Hadjinulla was captured at Southway Mall in the same city.
Agents of the NBI-Counter Terrorisim Division, NBI-Western Mindanao Regional Office, Philippine National Police-Special Action Force and the Armed Forces of the Philippines carried out the operation. — Kristine Joy Patag
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