Monday, October 15, 2007

Filipino Terror Suspect Nabbed In South

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 15, 2007) – Philippine police arrested an Abu Sayyaf militant implicated in the 2000 kidnapping of Asian and European holiday-makers in Malaysia’s island resort of Sipadan, police said on Monday.

Police said the Manguna Mali was arrested inside a cockpit arena in the town of Bonggao in the remote Tawi-Tawi province near Sabah. It did not say if Mali was armed or not when captured or whether he was on a mission or just hiding in Tawi-Tawi.

Mali did not resist arrest when policemen cornered him on Sunday in Tubig-boh village. He is being interrogated at a police headquarters in Zamboanga City on his alleged participation in the cross-border raid where his group snatched 21 people.

The hostages were brought to the southern Philippines by boat and had been freed several months later after Libya reportedly paid $14 million for the safe release of the victims.

Philippine authorities linked the Abu Sayyaf to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya terror network. The group has been implicated in the spate of bombings and kidnappings in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

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