The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday confirmed the death of suspected terrorist bomber Abdul Basit Usman, who was reportedly killed over the $1-million bounty on his head.
READ: Bomber Basit Usman killed by MILF
“Sources on the ground believe that there was infighting among Usman’s followers fueled by the huge monetary reward that was put on his head,” AFP Chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang said in a statement.
In 2009, the US State Department put a $1-million bounty for any information that may lead to Usman’s arrest. The US State Department said the US considered the expert bomb-maker as a “threat to U.S. and Filipino citizens and interests.”
The Philippine government added P6.3 million to the prize.
The general added that Usman also reportedly “became distrustful of some of his own men after the series of encounters between the AFP and his group in the past two months.”
The AFP said that aside from Usman, five of his cohorts were killed in a shootout in Sitio Takeneken, Barangay (village) Muti, Guindulungan, Maguindanao, at about 10 a.m on Sunday.
An earlier Inquirer report said that Usman was killed by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) 118th Base Command.
Despite reports that money was the reason for killing Usman, Catapang lauded the MILF for showing “sincerity” in pursuing the peace process.
“The recent accomplishment shows the MILF’s sincerity in supporting the peace process by actively helping the government in flushing out terrorists from their former safe havens,” he said.
He added that “Through the MILF’s cooperation and support, we have also succeeded in uprooting the bomb factories and terrorist hideouts near their communities.”
Usman was the second target of the counterterrorist operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January 25 which led to a clash between government troops and members of the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and other armed groups.
Sixty seven individuals were killed in the operation.
Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan was killed by government troops but Usman managed to escape.
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Suspected bomber Usman shot dead by MILF―reports