Marines recover bomb-making chemicals in Sulu
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Marine soldiers recovered a huge cache of suspected Abu Sayyaf chemicals used in the manufacture of homemade explosives in the province of Sulu, officials said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
By Al Jacinto & Bong Garcia
Officials said soldiers were pursuing the Abu Sayyaf when they found at least 10 sacks of ammonium nitrate in the hinterland village of Darayan in Patikul town over the weekend. "The chemicals are believed owned by the Abu Sayyaf and is main component of IEDs (improvised explosive devices)," said Lt. Col. Susthenes Valcorza, spokesman of the Southern Command.
Troops were still tracking down members of the Abu Sayyaf and two leaders of the Jemaah Islamiya, Umar Patek, and Dulmatin, who were reported to be with the group of local terrorist leader Khadaffy Janjalani in Sulu, about 950 kilometers south of Manila.
"The operation is still ongoing and our troops are tracking down the terrorists," he said.
Brig. Gen. Alexander Aleo, the island's military commander, said soldiers continue to hunt down Janjalani and Patek and Dulmatin in Jolo's hinterlands.
"We are still tracking down the terrorists -- the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya -- and the hunt is centered on the mountains of Indanan and Patikul towns. Our operation is relentless and we will get them dead or alive," he said.
Tightened security
The Philippine military tightened security in Jolo island after soldiers last week seized 6,000 blasting caps believed owned by the Abu Sayyaf group.
Mujahiri Malik, the man who was allegedly transporting the explosives, was arrested, but his companion, a woman, had escaped and is being hunted by security forces. Security forces seized 3,000 blasting caps from a ferry in Jolo and another 3,000 blasting caps left on a pedicab at the busy port of Jolo last week, he said.
The United States offered as much as $10 million bounty for Dulmatin and $1 million for Patek's capture and another $5 million for known Abu Sayyaf leaders, including Khadaffy Janjalani, its chieftain.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also put up P100 million rewards for the capture of the group's leaders and their members dead or alive. Both Patek and Dulmatin were linked to the 2002 Bali bombing that killed more than 200 people.
Imported materials
Another military official expressed doubts that the P.7 million blasting caps will only be used for blast fishing.
Col. Reynaldo Saelana, chief of the Army's 104th Infantry Brigade based in Jolo, Sulu, said he refused to believe the revelation of the arrested courier that the blasting caps will be used for dynamite fishing.
Saelana said it would be very expensive to use the blasting caps in dynamite fishing, saying the explosives are imported from India. The estimated value of the blasting caps is P.7 million.
He said what is important is that the blasting caps "will no longer go to the hands of lawless elements" whose intention is to sow terror and chaos.
Modjahiri Malik, 45, who was arrested at Jolo port last week for trying to smuggle 6,000 blasting caps to Tawi-Tawi, denied he owns the explosives.
Malik said the blasting caps belonged to his friend, whom he only identified as Hajin.
He said Hajin requested him to carry the two backpacks full of blasting caps to a passenger ferry when they met at Jolo port since both of them are going to Tawi-Tawi.
"Kung alam ko lang kontrabando ang laman ng mga bag hindi ko dadalhin yon (Had I known that the content of the bags were contraband items, I would have not carried them)," Malik said. He insisted the blasting caps would be used for blast fishing.
He also denied being a member of the Abu Sayyaf or Jemaah Islamiyah but admitted he was a former rebel.
(August 23, 2006 issue)