KOTA KINABALU, SABAH – Police captured remnants of an Abu Sayaff Group (ASG) thriving at a mangrove encampment in Beaufort uncovering photo evidence of children indoctrinated into militancy.
Intelligence spared by Filipino authorities led to the arrests of eight men and their wives along with 21 offspring ranging from toddlers to early adults.
Two of the men, Sansibar Besion, in his 40s, and Muayyar Binda, in his 30s; taken during the 3am raid at Taman Sri Arjuna, Sunday, were on the Philippine government’s wanted list.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali said the two survived firefights against marine security counterparts in Bud Bawis Complex, Panamao, Sulu in 2011, 2018, 2019 and in November last year.
“They have also masterminded and carried out kidnappings of many foreigners in their homeland,” he said.
Hazani said the crippled faction chose Sabah’s West Coast as their hideout as opposed to closer-to-home Semporna in a bid to avoid detection by ESSCOM.
And it worked for about a year based on when the Philippine military begun intensive flushing of terror groups.
“We are trying to ascertain their motives of entering Sabah and their routes inland, their facilitators, and if they have stashed any firearms…
“If there are ISIS or ASG linked cells here we will find out,” he said.
The case is being investigated under the Societies Act 1966 and the suspects to be remanded until May 12.
