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Kidnapped Aussie back in Basilan
 Philippine authorities have expanded Thursday their search for kidnapped Australian man Warren Rodwell in the Muslim provinces of Basilan and Sulu. Police have received reports that Rodwell, 53, was taken back to Basilan province after failing to merge with another Abu Sayyaf faction under terrorist leader Radulan Sahiron in Sulu.Sahiron is reported to be ill and did not want to take Rodwell into his custody in the province where security forces are also battling Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya. Basilan's police chief said the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers led by Radzmier Alih returned to the province late on Tuesday on a speedboat and landed in Sumisip town. Alih is a sub-leader of the notorious terrorist commander Puruji Indama. Senior Superintendent Alexis Lineses said, "On January 10, Australian kidnapped victim Rodwell and his captors, Abu Sayyaf's Radzmier Alih, of Basilan and some few men left the coastal line of Sitio Bual Nagka in the village of Lumapid in Talipao town in Sulu aboard a jungkong fast motorboat, believed to be heading back to Sumisip in Basilan," "The reason for the transfer were the pressure from the police and military operations and the leaked of information of their presence in Sulu, as well as the unpreparedness of Radulan Sahiron to receive Rodwell in Patikul. We are evaluating these reports." The military has received similar reports, and has ordered security forces to step up its intelligence and operations against Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan. Army Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, said, "We are intensifying our operations -- both on the grounds and information gathering -- and we are now concentrating our efforts to locate Warren Rodwell." Military authorities also distributed to soldiers photo copies of a picture of Indama, who is said to be holding Rodwell in Basilan. Abu Sayyaf militants are also holding a kidnapped Japanese man, an Indian national and two Malaysians and several Filipinos in the Sulu Archipelago. Philippine authorities have admitted the presence of Jemaah Islamiya terrorists in Sulu province. Lieutenant General Raymundo Ferrer, military chief in Western Mindanao, said they have identified 5 Jemaah Islamiya members who are being protected by the Abu Sayyaf. He said the terrorists -- Qayim, Mauiya, Marwan, Saad and Amin Baco -- are being tracked down by security forces. Mauiya was one of the terrorists who held three members of the International Committee of the Red Cross -- Italian Eugenio Vagni, Swiss Andreas Notter and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba who were kidnapped in 2009. The trio was freed after private negotiators allegedly paid a huge ransom to the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya. Posted by: ryuge 2012-01-15 |
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