July 9, 2001, Sun*Star Zamboanga, Abu's Commander Global captured in General Santos City,

Sun*Star Zamboanga 

    ZAMBOANGA -- Nadzmi Sabdullah alias Commander "Global", one of the top leaders of the Abu Sayyaf and the brain of all the bandit's kidnapping activities was captured Friday in General Santos City, a military spokesman, said here Monday, July 9. 

    The capture of Global took place when police operatives swooped down two villages but failed to catch bandit leader Khadafy Janjalani, who has landed in the western part of Zamboanga City. 

    Armed Forces Southern Command spokesman Army Lt. Col. Danilo Servando said Global was captured by combined military and police intelligence operatives at 7 p.m. Friday at Barangay Calumpang, General Santos City. 

     Global, who carries a P5-million bounty, was captured together with an Abu Sayyaf bandit sub-leader Tuttoh Harawatan and bandits Alex Saddala and Saltima Sali, who has a P1-million bounty each. 

     The arrest of Global and his three cohorts was made possible through the information given by the police and military informants. 

     "The capture of Global is definitely a big blow to the Abu Sayyaf," Servando said as the military expects more development from his arrest. 

     "One thing leads to another and definitely the arrest of Global and his group will result to further apprehension," he added. 

    Servando enumerated the bandits' terrorist activities planned by Global as follows:  

* Raid and abduction of 21 people, mostly foreigners, on April 23 of last year in Sipadan, Sabah, Malaysia 

* Detention for a fee of nine foreign journalist covering the Sipadan kidnapping on May 13 last year in Patikul, Sulu;  

* Hostage custodian in Mount Puti Odong situated in the border of Talipao and Maimbung towns, Sulu where the 21 people seized from Sipadan, Sabah, Malaysia were kept in captivity 

* Kidnapping of two Hong Kong and one Malaysian nationals in Malamanok island, Tawi-Tawi on 1998; 

* Kidnapping of American priest, Fr. Clarence Bertelsman in Jolo, Sulu on 1997 and three Spanish nuns, also in Jolo on 1993; 

* Mastermind in the killing of a certain Marine Cpl. Magtiza and kidnapping of Edwin Endoso in Jolo, Sulu; 

* The unsuccessful raid last May 21 Pearl Farm in the Garden City of Samal, Davao City; and  

* Kidnapping of 20 people, including three Americans last May 27 from Dos Palmas beach resort in Palawan. 

     Global was also believe to be the brain of Ipil raid in 1995 where 57 people were killed, scores wounded, ransack banks and burned down the town's commercial district. 

     Servando said the military has received report that Global was in General Santos to get the firearms he entrusted to a friend and at the same time to search for another possible kidnapping target.  

      Although Global and his three companions were captured Friday night, their identities were established Sunday afternoon following tactical interrogations. 

    "Intelligence operations will always take time. We have to develop the case, develop the situation and the culmination of the operations will be the arrest and apprehension of the suspect," Servando said. 

    Global was the third top bandit leader captured by the military here in Mindanao. The first was bandit intelligence officer Mullo Abdullah alias Boy Iran and second, supply officer Jose Wong alias Mustafa Amil. 

     Servando said Commander Global was placed under tactical interrogation and will be turned over to the court to face charges for various crimes he is involve. 

    Meanwhile, Zamboanga City Police Chief of Intelligence, Chief Inspector Jose Bayani Gucela disclosed that their operation to catch Janjalani in the villages of Sinunuc and Ayala in this city yielded negative result. 

    The intelligence operation was launched following reports that Janjalani together with seven followers and a pregnant woman has landed Friday night in Sinunuc and proceeded to nearby Barangay Ayala. 

    "They were very highly mobile. Possibly they had returned to Basilan," Gucela said citing the bandits can easily travel from one place to the other as they were equipped with 200-horse power speedboat. 

    However, he said surveillance and monitoring continue although the bandits are no longer within the area of operations of the Zamboanga City Police Office.