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| Southeast Asia |
| Abu Sayyaf member captured in Basilan |
| 2006-04-30 |
| A MEMBER of an Al-Qaeda-linked Muslim extremist group in the Philippines, who was involved in the kidnapping of three Americans five years ago, has been captured today, officials said. Abu Sayyaf member Abdusalih Dimah was apprehended in Sumisip town in the rebel stronghold of Basilan island before dawn today, military intelligence officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Dimah helped support Abu Sayyaf members who kidnapped three American tourists and 17 Filipinos from a resort in May 2001, they said. The hostages were taken by boat to Basilan, a rugged island in the southern Philippines. Two of the Americans were killed in Abu Sayyaf custody while the third was later recovered. While Dimah did not take part in the actual abduction, he helped his Abu Sayyaf comrades fight off military pursuers and kidnapped and killed Filipino civilians in Basilan afterwards, the officials said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |