Posted on 05/11/2007 2:50:22 AM PDT by HAL9000
(UPDATE 4) ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- Soldiers have taken into custody the four children of Indonesian bomb suspect Dulmatin during a raid in Simunul Island off Tawi-Tawi on Thursday evening, authorities said.Commodore Emilio Marayag, commander of Naval Forces South, said the children, aged 2,5,7 and 9, were found inside a house in Bacung village that was raided by a composite team of troops from the Second Marine Battalion, the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) 9, and the police Special Action Force (SAF).
Marayag said the caretakers of the house, Nursitti and Kilsitta, were also taken into custody after the raiders recovered an M16 rifle inside the hut.
Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said the development indicated that security forces were closing in on alleged Jemaah Islamiyah bomb expert Dulmatin, who with another explosives expert, Umar Patek, have been the object of a military campaign since August last year.
The two are the main suspects in the 2002 Bali bombings in Indonesia that killed over 200 people. Dulmatin carries a $10-million bounty.
They had fled to the Philippines and were reportedly being protected by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, where a naval blockade has been set up as close to 8,000 soldiers scour the jungles to capture the terror suspects.
"Intelligence-wise, it's a good development. At least, if the family is there, then the man is [just] somewhere around," Ebdane told reporters.
"We are optimistic that soon, we can get them [Dulmatin and Patek]. The two are in Sulu," he said.
"You might be surprised if the solution comes soon," Ebdane added.
Earlier on Friday, Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Caculitan, spokesman of the Philippine Marines, said the children would be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development here.
But Caculitan would neither confirm nor deny the presence of Dulmatin in the area.
We neither confirm nor deny the presence of Dulmatin in the area. We dont want to compromise ongoing operations, Caculitan said.
Still, Marayag said the presence of the children in Tawi-tawi were an indication that Dulmatin frequents the island.
"Ibig sabihin positive na nasa Pilipinas pa ang mga JI terrorists [This means its positive that the JI terrorists are still in the Philippines] and that there is a group protecting these terrorists," a source told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.
"But we will not use them [children] as bait [for Dulmatin]. We'll turn them over at the Bureau of Immigration," the source added.
The four children have been the object of a military search since last year, when only two of Dulmatin's children were found when his wife, Istiada Oemar Sovie was arrested in Basilan.
Sovie and the two children had been deported to Indonesia since.
Asked if the discovery of Dulmatin's children in Tawi-Tawi meant he has escaped from Sulu, Ebdane said: "Sulu is near Tawi-Tawi. They can travel from Jolo to Tawi-Tawi, maybe one hour by boat."
Late last year, authorities apprehended Dulmatin's wife and two other children in Sulu. They were later deported for violation of immigration laws.
Should use them as bait, but fools run the roost!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.