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Abu Sayyaf Leader Arrested in Southern Philippines
COTABATO, Philippines, July 9 (News Agencies) - A key leader who took part in a rash of kidnappings carried out by the Abu Sayyaf group, has been arrested in the southern Philippines, the military and police told news agencies Monday.
Nadjmi Sabdula, a.k.a. Commander Global, was among four bandits arrested late Sunday following a raid on their safe house in General Santos City, Regional Police Commander and Chief Superintendent Manuel Raval said here.
He stated that residents in a small village tipped off police about the presence of Sabdula, who carries a five million peso ($96,153) bounty on his head.
The other rebels caught were identified as: Saltima Alih, Alex Sabdali and Jamar. All are from the rebel-stronghold of Talipao on southern Jolo Island, Raval said.
Armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Edilberto Adan said Sabdula could have been plotting to stage bombings in General Santos to divert military attention from Basilan island, where Abu Sayyaf rebels are holding 21 U.S. and Filipino hostages.
Police and military said they have tightened security around South Cotabato, including the port city of General Santos, which is about four hours by speedboat from Basilan.
"There could be other Abu Sayyaf members in South Cotabato because they fled the army offensive in Basilan," Raval said.
"We are now on red alert," added city police chief Senior Superintendent Conrado Lasa. "We have intensified monitoring of suspicious people in the city."
The four rebels were arrested hours after a homemade bomb ripped through a General Santos beer parlor, wounding 15 people, seven of them critically.
Police said Sabdula's men were spotted in the restaurant before the explosion.
Sabdula is one of the Abu Sayyaf's core leaders based in Jolo, where they took dozens of European, Malaysian and Filipino hostages in a kidnapping spree last year.
All except one of their hostages were freed, allegedly after huge ransom payments, which the rebels later used to buy more weapons and speedboats, the military said.
On May 27, an Abu Sayyaf faction led by Basilan-based Abu Sabaya, raided a beach resort off the western province of Palawan and snatched 20 hostages, including three Americans.
Thirteen have been rescued or freed after allegedly paying ransoms, while two Filipinos have been beheaded. The rebels also claim to have executed Californian Guillermo Sobero, although his body has not been found.
The Abu Sayyaf later snatched more hostages, including four hospital staff and 15 plantation workers, two of whom they also beheaded.
Adan said Sabdula's group was also behind a dawn attack on the Pearl Farm beach resort in southern Samal Island three days before the Palawan abduction.
Two resort workers were killed in that attack, which the military initially blamed on sea pirates.
Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes meanwhile said military intelligence operatives were trying to verify reports that Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf leaders, Kadhaffy Janjalani and Abu Sabaya, slipped past some 5,000 troops sent to rescue the hostages.
Sabaya and Janjalani were reportedly sighted in Zamboanga City disguised as women wearing traditional Muslim clothes.
"We are still trying to verify that," Reyes said.
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