Terrorist still alive? AFP wants proof of life
Show proof of life.
Like doubting Thomases, military officials on Saturday challenged a Malaysian security official to produce evidence that Zulkifli bin Abdul Hir aka Marwan, the Malaysian extremist with a $5-million bounty on his head, was still alive.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) maintains its position that Marwan was killed in a recent Philippine air strike in Sulu contrary to reports that he survived the operation and is alive,” said AFP public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos.
Any claim to the contrary, he said, must come with “conclusive proof of life.”
Burgos was reacting to the statement issued to the Agence France-Presse by Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, deputy head of the Malaysian police force’s counterterrorism unit that said Marwan is still alive.
Western Mindanao Command chief Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes also said his stand remained that Marwan and two other Jemaah Islamiyah operatives died in the air strike.
‘Badly wounded’
Citing Malaysian intelligence, the official said Marwan was “badly, badly wounded” and in hiding in the island of Jolo but declined to give more details.
Burgos, however, said reports on the ground indicated that Marwan had really died during last month’s raid in Duyan Kabaw in Barangay Lanao Dacula in Parang, Sulu, along with two other most wanted terrorist personalities, Abu Sayyaf commander Umbra Jumdail or “Doc Abu,” and Jemaah Islamiyah leader Singaporean Abdullah Ali or “Muawiyah.”
“Although the AFP hasn’t released a proof of the killing as it is still awaiting the results of the DNA tests taken on the body parts left at the scene, intelligence reports from the field show that he was one of the fatalities as a result of that bombing,” Burgos said.
Intensified security operations
He said he did not know the details of the bounty offered by the United States for Marwan’s head but “definitely they would require conclusive DNA proof before any reward is given.”
Asked if the Malaysian official’s claims prompted the AFP to conduct more search and pursuit operations in Sulu, Burgos replied: “With or without the existence of the claim, the AFP will continue with its intensified security operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group and lawless groups.”
“The safety and security of our citizens will always be of paramount concern and priority in every military operation,” he added.
Banned from grave site
The military said the 3 a.m. air strikes by two OV-10 Broncos in Parang town in Sulu last month slew 15 terrorists, including the three wanted personalities.
Officials said they were found in a thickly vegetated area under the cover of coconut trees and mounted tents. They were believed to be sleeping when the 227-kilogram bombs were dropped.
Senior Supt. Antonio Freyra, police chief for Sulu, earlier said they had located the grave where the slain terror suspects had been buried but authorities were prevented by local religious leaders from excavating the bodies.
Freyra said one of the imams had said the grave site contained five bodies.
“We were hoping to get specimens (for DNA testing), but we also didn’t want to insist because it might ignite tension,” Freyra explained.
Sulu Bantay Ceasefire coordinator Octavio Dinampo also said locals had confirmed to him the death of Marwan when a hut was hit by bombs last month.
Classified details
“As per verification from more than a couple of sources, including relatives of Jumdail, there were 28 persons within the perimeter of the hut during the air strike, seven were killed, eight were wounded and the rest managed to flee unscathed,” Dinampo said.
Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, said skeptics were behind reports that Marwan is alive.
“There are some groups that would create stories so that we will react by divulging the classified details surrounding the Sulu air strike. We would not have announced its results if we had doubts. We do not want to please nonbelievers. What is important to us is that those who have been affected by these terrorists, especially the people of Sulu, believe and are happy that they are dead,” he said.
