ZAMBOANGA CITY – Security forces captured 2 Abu Sayyaf militants involved in piracy and ransom kidnappings in separate operations Thursday in the southern Filipino province of Tawi-Tawi, officials said.
Officials said one of those nabbed by policeman and soldiers, Omar Harun, is a sub-leader of the extremist group blamed by police and military for the spate of hijacking of cargo ships and cross-border raid in Sabah.
Harun, alias Halipa, was captured on Taganak Island where another militant, Ara Samindi, had been arrested. Both Harun and Samindi were involved in the hijacking of Vietnamese cargo ship MV Giang Hai off Tawi-Tawi and kidnapping of 6 crew members last February 19.The attack also left one Vietnamese crewman dead.
The duo is currently being investigated by the police in Tawi-Tawi.
The military’s Western Mindanao Command said security forces had arrested nearly 6 dozen Abu Sayyaf militants in the provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, Sulu – all in the Muslim autonomous region; and in Zamboanga City since early this year. (Mindanao Examiner)
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