 An Indonesian Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant was among six extremists killed in a gun battle at sea with government forces in the southern province of Tawi-Tawi on Saturday, a military spokesman said.| "Avast, ye bloody bandits, or face the ghost of Stephen Decatur!" |
Gufran alias Abu Samur is a reported trusted aide of JI explosives expert Dulmatin, one of two alleged masterminds of the 2002 Bali bombings who are hiding in the Sulu jungles with the local terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, said Commander Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, Navy spokesman, in a text message Sunday. Aside from Gufran, Bacordo said four other fatalities have been identified: Abu Sayyaf sub-commanders Abu Hubaida and Judnam Jamalul, alias Black Killer, Ibrahim Hassan alias Abu Muksin -- a confidante of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani -- and Gadar Abubakar, a security escort of Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Solaiman. Jamalul was among 17 Abu Sayyaf members, including Janjalani, who are wanted by the United States for attacks on American citizens. The US had offered a $40,000 bounty for JamalulÂ’s capture or death. Captured Abu Sayyaf members identified the slain bandits, | Heh. Look into the bloated, ruined face of your future, losers. |
who are in the military's order of battle, said Brigadier General Juancho Sabban, commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade.| Very good work, General Sabban. I'm impressed. |
Sabban said the group was heading to Tawi-Tawi to scout for a new hiding place for Abu Sayyaf and JI leaders who are the targets of a military dragnet in Sulu. "These are trusted aides and bodyguards of the high-value targets who want to escape from Sulu. They are their advance party," Sabban said in a phone interview.| "And now they're doorknob dead," he added. |
Sabban said the extremist leaders, including Dulmatin and fellow JI and Bali bombing suspect Umar Patek, have not escaped from Sulu. "By all indications, they are still in Sulu," he said.| Frantically looking for new undies. |
Sabban claimed the Abu Sayyaf had run out of resources and were "trying to escape Sulu to survive." The bandits were onboard a twin-motor pumpboat (motorized outrigger canoe) off Tawi-Tawi late Saturday evening when they were engaged in a 30-minute gunbattle by Navy and Marine troops. Troops recovered two M16 rifles an M203 grenade launcher and huge amounts of ammunition on the rebels' boat, marine spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said. Caculitan said this group was being pursued by members of the Marines in Capual and Pata Island two days ago but managed to escape after a brief clash. Marines spotted and engaged the group Saturday in a firefight off Tawi Tawi, he said.
 No casualty was reported from the government's side in the encounter.
An officer involved in the assault said the military had information that the militants were planning to carry out kidnappings in Tawi Tawi to raise funds. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the media. Elements of the 2nd Marine Battalion's Special Operations Platoon led by Maj. Joseph Ferrous Cuison managed to intercept the terrorists who tried to flee by motorized outrigger canoe boat. Dulmatin, Patek, and Janjalani are the subjects of a five-month-old military operation involving more than 7,000 troops in Sulu. |