NBI nabs 6 ASG fugitives

The suspects were identified as Azmier Maalum alias Totong Aling, Amar Assan aka “Abu Sonny”, Musa Tahil Sampang a.k.a. Hadji, Ramon Gonzales / Hadji Butah, Jamil Ibrahim, Yong Amin Jamil Tahib and Majuk Tahil Amil. (PNA Photo)

MANILA — Six members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) were nabbed in separate operations conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation in Taguig City, Balanga City, Bataan and Zamboanga City.

The operation was conducted by the NBI Counter Terrorism Division (NBI-CTD) Naval Intelligence and Security Group (NISG) supported by the PNP Special Action Force, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The suspects were identified as Azmier Maalum alias Totong Aling, Amar Assan aka “Abu Sonny”, Musa Tahil Sampang a.k.a. Hadji, Ramon Gonzales / Hadji Butah, Jamil Ibrahim, Yong Amin Jamil Tahib and Majuk Tahil Amil.

Maalum, 42, was working as a construction worker at day time in Taguig City and had eluded arrest for years.

He has standing warrants of arrest for eight counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the 2001 Golden Harvest kidnapping case.

Sampang, 45, on the other hand, was arrested while working as a security guard in a food chain, in Balanga City.

Sampang was involved in the Dr. Torres Memorial Hospital kidnapping in Lamitan, Basilan and in several bombings in the province using improvised explosive devices.

Ibrahim, Amin and Assan, meanwhile, have standing warrants of arrest in Basilan for eight counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the 2001 Golden Harvest kidnapping incident.

Amil has another standing warrant of arrest for the abduction of the Jehovah’s witnesses members in Patikul, Sulu in 2002.