Most wanted Abu Sayyaf bomber captured
POLICE Regional Office (PRO) 9 director, Brigadier General Franco P. Simborio yesterday announced the capture of a 42-year-old suspected Abu Sayyaf bomb maker and kidnapper during a counter-terror operation in Zamboanga City last Tuesday.
In a report to Philippine National Police chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos, the new PRO9 director said that Kalmi Ammad Mustala, a native of Panamao, Sulu residing in Vanex Drive, Bgy. Recodo in Zamboanga City, was caught inside the Caragasan Beach Resort in Bgy. Sinunuc past 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Members of the Zamboanga City Police Office, the Jolo Municipal Police Station, Regional Mobile Battalion 9, the Philippine Marines, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Military Intelligence Group 26 arrested the suspect following weeks of surveillance, he said.
The official described the suspect as an expert in the manufacture of IEDs being used by the Abu Sayyaf. He said the suspect belongs to an ASG faction led by Sanibar Bensio and the late ASG sub-leader Hairulla Abduraja who were both accused of involvement in the deadly twin bombings at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu on January 27, 2019.
Simborio said the suspect is also wanted for his participation in the kidnapping of a number of foreigners in Sulu including Swiss national Lorenzo Vinciguerra; Dutch national Elwod Horn; Indonesian nationals Samion Bin Maneu, Maharudin Bin Lunani and Mohammad Farhan; as well as Filipinos Ronnie Terung, Joshua Baning and Michelle Panes.
The suspect was arrested on the strength of warrants for illegal possession of explosives, double frustrated murder and double attempted murder issued by Judge Alsad Alfad of the Sulu Regional Trial Court Branch 3 last June 19.
The Sulu judge recommended no bail for the temporary liberty of the accused who is now being held at the Zamboanga City Police Office’s lock-up facility pending his turnover to the Jolo police, said Simborio.
