Cleric tortured in military camp--kin
By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 21:11:00 03/23/2008
ILOILO CITY, Philippines— The family of one of the two Muslim clerics arrested by government agents on Boracay Island has accused his abductors of torturing him while under military detention.
Mahdi Bani, elder brother of detained terror suspect Muhammad Bani, said his brother was beaten and subjected to electric shocks while being held at the Intelligence and Security Group (ISG) detention center at Fort Bonifacio.
Mahdi visited his brother on March 17 at the facility.
Another brother, Mahid, said that while there were no visible bruises on Muhammad, his brother was traumatized, at times silent and jittery.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) tried but failed to reach the Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, for comment. His mobile phone remained unanswered despite repeated calls on Sunday.
Muhammad, 27, along with his friend Al-Midzbar Bunajal, 24, were arrested by a team of agents of the ISG and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Boracay on March 8.
In an earlier interview, Bacarro said Bani was arrested based on a warrant for kidnapping issued by the Pasig Regional Trial Court.
The AFP has accused Muhammad of involvement in the 2001 Dos Palmas kidnapping perpetuated by the Abu Sayyaf bandit group that has links to international terror groups, including the Jemaah Islamiyah.
Bacarro said Bunajal was released two days after his arrest because no charges were filed against him.
Bani's family has denied that he was involved with any terror group. They also said it was impossible for him to be implicated in the Dos Palmas kidnapping because he was in Boracay helping operate a family-owned pearl shop.
|
