Military hunts Basit Usman

Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). INQUIRER MINDANAO FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines has launched pursuit operation against alleged terror bomber Basit Usman who remains at large.

“Usman is the subject of law enforcement operations so he can be arrested and made accountable for his crimes,” Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, AFP Public Affairs Office Chief, said Tuesday.

On June 10, government troops spotted Usman in a Jemaah Islamiyah encampment manufacturing improvised explosive devices for the rebel group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

“We are working with the Philippine National Police so we can capture him the soonest,” Zagala said.

Even with the international notoriety that Usman bears, Colonel Dickson Hermoso, 6th Infantry Division spokesman, downplayed his capability saying that the bomb-maker is “similar” to other threats.

“He is just similar to others that would like to do harm to the innocents for being an extremist,” Hermoso said.

Usman, who is under the BIFF, has a $1-million bounty on his head the United States State Department put up, and another P6.3-million reward from the AFP.

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