4 die as govt soldiers raid suspected Abu Sayyaf-linked bomb factory in Basilan

Published May 15, 2015 8:51am

(Updated 5:01 p.m.) ZAMBOANGA - Three Muslim militants and a soldier were killed in the southern Philippines on Thursday when government troops raided a bomb factory of an Al-Qaeda-linked group, a military official said.

The troops encountered about 30 armed members of the Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist group in the southern island of Basilan, resulting in a four-hour gun battle, said Navy Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad, chief of a special security task force.

Three of the gunmen and one soldier were killed in the battle, which forced the Abu Sayyaf to retreat, leaving behind them bomb-making paraphernalia, Trinidad said.

"Various types of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) were recovered that were already assembled. Some were made of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) tanks, paint tins and pipe bombs," he said.

Meanwhile, Joint Task Force Zambasulta head Rear Admiral Reynaldo Yoma said the Abu Sayyaf group was led by Ustadz Abbas Alam said to also be harboring Malaysian terrorist Mohammad Najib.

Yoma said the Abu Sayyaf members left a body of their comrade in the encounter site in Tuburan village in Hadji Mohammad Ajul town adding that there were more casualties on the opposing side.

“Two (more) ASG members were reportedly killed and three (others were) wounded,” he said.

Yoma also said at least 19 explosives were retrieved there and have already been disarmed.

“The encounter site is believed to be used as IED improvised ezplosive devixe) factory/ training camp as evidenced by the various types of IEDs recovered,” he said.

Founded in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, the Abu Sayyaf gained international notoriety for the worst militant attacks in Philippine history including bombings and kidnapping Christians and foreigners for ransom.

This includes the 2004 firebombing of a ferry off Manila Bay that killed more than 100 people.

Despite receiving training assistance from the United States, the Philippines has struggled to contain the Abu Sayyaf, whose leader last year pledged allegiance to the Islamic State movement. — Agence France-Presse with Andrei Medina/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: abusayyaf, abusayyafclash, basilan