Abu Sayyaf holds three kidnapped Indonesians in Sulu village

By: Stefyanie Myla Micheal, Zam Yusa

Kota Kinabalu: The three Indonesian fishermen kidnapped in waters off Tambisan island, Kinabatangan on Sept 23, are being held by the Abu Sayyaf group led by a sub-leader wanted by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) in a village in Indanan town, Sulu, southern Philippines, Daily Express has been able to confirm.

A terrorism researcher at Jakarta-based think-tank Galatea, Ulta Levenia Nababan, said the kidnappers [MSN: I assume they mean the hostages] are currently being held by Salip Mura’s group.

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Source: dailyexpress.com.my

Military seizes bomb-making material in Sulu

By CNN Philippines Staff

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17)— The military recovered nearly a ton of a bomb-making inputs during an operation in Sulu on Saturday.

In a statement Tuesday, the Joint Task Force Sulu said authorities have seized at least 700 kilograms of ammonium nitrate and another bomb component, an 81-mm mortar fuse in Barangay Latih in Patikul town over the weekend.

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Source: cnnphilippines.com

Luxury cruise ships return to Sri Lanka following Easter terror explosions

COLOMBO, June 11 (Xinhua) — Sri Lanka’s leading tour operators said on Tuesday that luxury cruise ships have begun calling at Sri Lanka’s ports following the improved security situation in the island country after the Easter terror attacks on April 21 which killed over 250 people.

Aitken Spence Maritime, agents for Hapag-Lloyd, was quoted by local media as saying that the shipping groups MS Europa 2 cruise ship called at Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port in the capital and Hambantota port in the south recently with 309 passengers and 356 crew onboard.

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Source: xinhuanet.com

Wife of ASG subleader, 3 other ‘bomb makers’ arrested

By: Julie Alipala

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The wife of a ranking leader of the Abu Sayyaf and three other terror suspects were arrested early on Wednesday and flown immediately to Manila where they were charged with illegal possession of explosives at the Department of Justice.

The four suspects are “high value targets” and deeply involved in the Abu Sayyaf’s bombing activities and other terror operations, according to Col. Tom Tuzon, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Western Mindanao.

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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

13 suspected militants arrested in Semporna

KOTA KINABALU: Thirteen people have been arrested by police for alleged involvement in militant activities in Semporna.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said the suspects, comprising 12 Filipinos and one local, were arrested by Sabah Police Special Branch and Vat 69 Commandos during several operations in Semporna between January and March this year.

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Source: theborneopost.com

Hostages held by Abu Sayyaf militants in Philippines tried to escape – government

An Indonesian hostage of the Muslim militant group Abu Sayyaf swam to safety, but another drowned and a Malaysian hostage was shot in the back, according to a military spokesman.

The rescue attempts had taken place over two days, Philippine regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gerry Besana said on Saturday. He added that this happened while Philippine marines were attempting to rescue them from Simusa Island in Southern Sulu province.

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Source: en.rfi.fr

Abu Sayyaf arms cache found by troops amid operations in Sulu

By Francis Wakefield

Soldiers pursuing Abu Sayyaf militants found an arms cache in Patikul, Sulu on Tuesday, March 26.

Troops from the 13th Special Forces Company also retrieved from the Abu Sayyaf’s arms cache a 60mm mortar, two M16 rifles, bandoliers with magazines, IED paraphernalia, flags with ISIS markings, a military map, a handheld radio, and a night vision monocular in Barangay Bakong, Patikul at about 11 a.m.

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Source: news.mb.com.ph

2 Abu Sayyaf bandits killed, another captured

By BONG GARCIA

TWO Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed while another was captured in separate clashes in the provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

Colonel Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, said no casualty was reported on the government side in both clashes. The Abu Sayyaf bandits are on the run.

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Source: sunstar.com.ph

Terror swoop nets 13 linked to Sulu, Abu Sayyaf and Maute groups

PETALING JAYA: Police say 12 Filipinos and one local were arrested on suspicion of terrorist activities in anti-terror operations in Semporna and Tambunan last week.

In a statement, Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the suspects were believed to be involved with the Abu Sayyaf and Royal Sulu Force (RSF) militant groups.

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Source: freemalaysiatoday.com

Terrorist, pro-IS bandits killed in massive assault

BY AL JACINTO

ZAMBOANGA CITY: The military on Wednesday claimed to have killed nearly 20 pro-Islamic State (IS) bandits, including a Singaporean terrorist, in massive air and ground assaults on a remote hideout in Maguindanao.

The 6th Infantry Division said the campaign, which began on Monday, was aimed at destroying a big group of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

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Source: manilatimes.net