Abu Sayyaf members killed, Pictures of bin Laden, Arabic documents siezed in Philippines

AP ^ | Sep 13, 2003

[witnesstothefall]

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines, Sep 13, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Soldiers killed two suspected members of the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group and seized pictures of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and documents in Arabic after storming a rebel camp in the southern Philippines Saturday, a military commander said.

The soldiers also recovered weapons at the camp in the mountain village of Matalang outside Sumisip town on Basilan island, said Maj. Gen. Trifonio Salazar, commander of the army's 1st Infantry Division.

He said field officers reported that the documents were "voluminous" and were going to have them translated. He had no description of the bin Laden photographs.

Salazar said villagers informed the military about the presence of the camp. An army reconnaissance team dispatched late Friday radioed the rebels' location to a company of elite Scout Rangers, who raided the camp early Saturday, he said.

He said the military had declined offers from villagers who are "fed up with the Abu Sayyaf and their atrocities" to help soldiers in their operations, but welcomed their information about the rebels' movements.

Troops are in pursuit of other guerrillas who escaped, Salazar said.

The military claims the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, notorious for ransom kidnappings and for beheading their victims, have been on the run since the U.S. military conducted a counterterrorism exercise in the southern Philippines last year.

Many of their leaders and members have been killed or captured, but remnants of the group are still scattered mainly on the southern islands of Basilan and Jolo, their traditional strongholds.

[witnesstothefall]

Interesting bit about the locals being instrumental in this operation, even wanting in on the action.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Interesting bit about the locals being instrumental in this operation, even wanting in on the action.

Kind of contradicts the "Beloved Freedom Fighter" idea huh?

Truth is most of these groups are hated by the locals, they take your food and whatever else they want up to and including you family. Horrible death awaits you if they even suspect that you talked.

Once the locals are convinced that you are serious about the matter and not going to make just a few raids for propaganda's sake they will side with you just to get all of you out of their hair.

Having a terror group in your area is like having a lit stick of dynamite. Sooner or later...BOOM!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for this post. Our troops make good teachers.

Soldiers killed two suspected members of the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group and seized pictures of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and documents in Arabic after storming a rebel camp in the southern Philippines Saturday, a military commander said.

Another two bite the dust, ping!

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[tbpiper]

ZAMBOANGA.....isn't that where the monkeys have no tails?

[Savage Beast]

"villagers who are 'fed up with the Abu Sayyaf and their atrocities'"

These villagers are way ahead of the rest of the world.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[ChadGore]

Woohooo ! ! ! Give em hell, boys.

[Ex-Dem]

Isn't this the same terrorist group that kidnapped Daniel Pearl and then broadcast a video of Pearl being beheaded? These guys need to be hunted to the ends of the earth.

Good to see that the villagers tipped off the military and were even willing to fight alongside them. No civilization-loving people can justify standing by while terrorists are right next door.

[witnesstothefall]

No, Pearl was taken by other Islamist freaks, in Pakistan. But in their sociopathy, they are one and the same.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Ex-Dem]

My mistake. When I read the part about "...the military claims the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, notorious for ransom kidnappings and for beheading their victims...", I was just reminded of how Pearl was killed.

Yeah, all these guys do seem to have pretty much the same MO and goals.

[VOA]

bump

[Dog]

fyi...

[windchime]

Bump!

[PhilDragoo]

DEAD TERRORIST BUMP