AFP renews drive to find Malaysian terror suspect

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Apparently boosted by the success of the US military operation against top terror suspect Osama Bin Laden, the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced on Tuesday a renewed campaign to capture Malaysian terror suspect Zulkifli Bin Hir.

Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command based here, said Zulkifli, also known as Marwan, has been repeatedly reported to be in the Southern Philippines.

Cabangbang said Zulkifli has cohorts in Mindanao, where he has been reportedly hiding since fleeing Malaysia in 2003, but his exact location is unknown to this day.

Cabangbang admitted that tracking down Zulkifli would be difficult unless civilians cooperate.

“We are requesting the public’s help in finding known terrorist Zulkifli,” he said.

Cabangbang said they were optimistic that the United States’ $5 million offer for the capture of the US-trained engineer in charge of the Jemaah Islamiyah’s bomb-making training activities in Southeast Asia would help the campaign.

Zulkifli is about 5 feet and 5 inches in height and is slim at 55 kilograms.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) considers him as “armed and dangerous.”