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| Southeast Asia |
| Philippines ferry bombing witness claims he was duped into confession |
| 2006-06-06 |
| A KEY WITNESS in the rebellion case against an Abu Sayyaf-linked group accused of bombing a ferry and killing 116 people has recanted his confession, claiming a Department of Justice prosecutor duped him into signing the statement admitting to the crime. After his recantation, Malik Alimudin and his eight alleged conspirators in the bombing of the SuperFerry 14 in February 2004 sought the dismissal of the charges against them. The accused included Hilarion de los Santos III, purported leader of the Rajah Solaiman Movement, a group of Christian converts to Islam allegedly associated with the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf. Alimudin, of Zamboanga City, was arrested along with seven relatives and friends of De los Santos, who is also known as Ahmed Islam Santos. âI am not a rebel nor a terrorist, and I have no idea whatsoever as to the contents of the (extrajudicial confession). I am actually a nursing student who just happened to be in the... compound when authorities rounded us up, âimprisoned us,â Alimudin said in a manifestation filed with the DoJ Monday. Alimudin accused State Prosecutor Romeo S. Senson of âforciblyâ making him sign a statement on Oct. 28, 2005, owning up to the bombing of SuperFerry 14 on Manila Bay. He said he was not allowed to read his supposed confession, nor was he provided with a lawyer of his choice. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |