4 ASG members nabbed in Zamboanga City

ASG MEMBERS FALL. Police chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan, in a press briefing on Monday (Oct. 12, 2020), announces the arrest of four members of the Abu Sayyaf Group in recent operations in Zamboanga City. Kadija Sadji (bottom right); Jailani Al-Rafee Sakandal (bottom left) and Abdulman Sarapuddin Tula alias Mahn (top right) were arrested for illegal possession of firearms and explosives on Oct. 9 while Hassan Anang Mohammad was arrested on Oct. 11. (Photo courtesy of PNP via PNA)

MANILA – Authorities nabbed four members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in separate operations in Zamboanga City, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan said Monday.

In a press briefing in Camp Crame, Cascolan said Kadija Sadji, 31; Abdulman Sarapuddin Tula alias Mahn, 32; and Jailani Al-Rafee Sakandal, 31 were arrested in the first operation by virtue of a search warrant for illegal possession of firearms and explosives along Love Drive, Kampo Islam, Barangay Lower Calarian on Oct. 9.

Confiscated from them were two hand grenades, a .45-caliber pistol, several rounds of 5.56mm rifle ammunition, and a black ISIS flag.

The said operations were conducted by the Police Regional Office-9, Regional Intelligence Group, Special Action Force, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Cascolan said background investigation revealed that Sadji and Tula are both members of the ASG and serve as financial conduits of the Dawlah Islamiya under ASG bomb expert Mundi Sawadjaan.

Tula was identified in police records as the person in charge of procuring logistics and provisions for the groups of Sawadjaan and Radullan Sahiron in Sulu.

Sadji is the wife of Al Asgar, son of the late Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Janjalani, and belongs to the same financial conduit cell with Amaida Salvin who was arrested in Zamboanga City on April 16, 2019.

Meanwhile, Sakandal is an active member of the Philippine Coast Guard with the rank of Apprentice Seaman.

In the second operation, police officers and troops from the Western Mindanao Command captured Hassan Anang Mohammad alias Usi on Oct. 11.

Cascolan said Mohammad is a senior ASG member who was involved in the kidnapping and beheading of Doroteo Gonzales on May 17, 2009, in Al Barka, Basilan.

Meanwhile, Cascolan said the suspected suicide bomber Indonesian national Rezky Fantasya Rullie alias Nana Isirani, who is five months pregnant, is planning to launch bomb attacks after giving birth.

“That’s the information. We were lucky and fortunate we were able to arrest (her). She’s still in Sulu. We still have to get the results about an inquiry on her nationality and at the same time we still have to take some information because that’s part of the procedure and we have to look after her physical health,” Cascolan said.

Rullie and two other women — Inda Nurhaina, wife of ASG sub-leader Ben Tatoo; and Fatima Sandra Jimlani, wife of ASG member Jahid Jam — were arrested in Jolo, Sulu on October 10.

Authorities confiscated suicide vests, bombs, and other materials used in making improvised explosive devices from the suspects.

Security forces have received intelligence reports that Rullie was set to take revenge and launch bomb attacks following the death of her husband Andi Baso, an Indonesian terrorist, in August.

Cascolan said the police and the military continue to monitor foreign terrorists in the southern portion of the Philippines. He, however, did not disclose further details on their operations.

“If you will see the performance of our people is being boosted. That only means to say the morale and welfare are high and their welfare is being looked into. As for the activities of these people who were caught and arrested actually, of course, we would say that they are still planning to have bombings most especially in Zamboanga,” said Cascolan. “I would like to add. That’s why we were there in Zamboanga because we were studying the fact that we have to deploy a lot of anti-terrorism forces. Focused units will be there to focus on the activities against or to counter terrorists.”