ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 10, 2012) – Philippine authorities arrested a member of the Abu Sayyaf, whose group has been tied to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya, in an operation Friday in the southern port city of Zamboanga.
Police said Isnaji Sakam, who was implicated in many kidnappings for ransom, in nearby province of Basilan, was captured near the local central market.
No other details were made available by authorities and it was unknown whether the Sakam was alone when arrested or if he was planning an attack or targeting local traders for ransom.
The Abu Sayyaf has been linked to the spate of killings in Basilan and other provinces in Mindanao the past decades, although many of its leaders had been killed in the past in clashes with security forces. (Mindanao Examiner)
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