December 21, 2004, The Philippine Star, Janjalani killed in air raid?, by Jaime Laude,

December 21, 2004, The Philippine Star, Janjalani killed in air raid?, by Jaime Laude,

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Military authorities are trying to verify an intelligence report that the leader of the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf group has been killed in an air raid, an official said yesterday. 

Col. Jerry Jalandoni, commander of the Army’s 604th Brigade, quoted one of the military’s "informants" as claiming that Khaddafy Janjalani’s "body was severed (cut in half)" last month during an air strike on a rebel hideout near the Liguasan Marsh in Mindanao. 

A Malacañang official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, could not hide his glee over Janjalani’s reported death. "Sana totoo na nga (I hope that is true), but we have no proof," the official said. 

On Nov. 19, Air Force MG-520 attack helicopters launched bombing raids on Butilen marsh in Datu Piang, in response to an intelligence report that the elusive Abu Sayyaf chieftain was meeting there with operatives of the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group. 

Quoting statements from informants, Jalandoni said Janjalani was "directly hit" during the air strike in the area, a known stronghold of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). 

"Our informant said his body was placed in a plastic (bag) and then in a wooden box. His body was reportedly brought to Barangay Pamalian in Mamasapano town," Jalandoni said. 

Citing the same informant as source, Jalandoni said Janjalani’s remains were taken by at least 13 MILF rebels from the 104th and 109th Guerrilla Base Command, which operates in Central Mindanao. 

Jalandoni said the military is now exerting efforts to find Janjalani’s body. There is a $5-million bounty offered by the United States and P10 million by the Philippine government for information leading to Janjalani’s capture or neutralization. 

"They were supposedly having a meeting with the JI (group) involved in the Bali bombing in 2002," Jalandoni said, referring to the attack in the Indonesian island resort in October that year that killed 202 people. The Bali bombing was blamed on JI. 

"Our informant said (Janjalani’s) body was put inside a plastic bag and then in a wooden box," Jalandoni said. "This is based on field reports. We have an informant. He said Janjalani is definitely dead." 

Janjalani’s body is believed to have been buried in the nearby town of Mamasapano. 

"We are conducting massive search in (Mamasapano), we have to produce his body… We cannot confirm his death because we do not have his body," Jalandoni said. 

Despite the lack of corpus delicti, Jalandoni said reports indicated that Janjalani was in Butilen marsh during the air strike. "It is definite that group of Janjalani was in the area when we conducted the air strike," he said. 

The US last week added Janjalani’s name to a list of militants whose finances are blocked under US anti-terrorist laws, calling him a "despicable terrorist, responsible for the kidnappings and beheadings of American civilians and other innocents." 

The US State Department labeled the Abu Sayyaf a foreign terrorist organization in 2002 for its role in bombings and kidnappings in the Philippines and for its suspected links with al-Qaeda. 

Janjalani is the younger brother of slain Abu Sayyaf chieftain Abdurajak Janjalani and he is suspected of masterminding the 2001 kidnappings of tourists and workers, including three Americans, from a Philippine beach resort. One of the Americans was beheaded shortly afterwards. American missionary Martin Burnham and Filipina nurse Edibora Yap were killed a year later during a rescue operation by the military. 

Janjalani’s group claimed responsibility for planting a bomb that sank the SuperFerry 14 in Manila Bay last Feb. 27, killing over 100 people. The government at first played down the claim but said in October that the Abu Sayyaf carried out the attack. 

"(The MILF) should cooperate with us, help us in the campaign against criminals and JI," Jalandoni said. "We have a joint communiqué on this." 

Jalandoni also said his statement should not be misconstrued as one seeking to derail the ongoing peace negotiations with the MILF as he cited the joint communiqué agreed upon by the government and MILF to work hand in hand in the campaign against terrorists. 

He said that when the air strike was completed, he should have sent ground forces to the area but abandoned the idea because it might spark fighting with MILF rebels in the area. 

"We want to clarify that we do not want to destroy the peace process. That is why we did not push through with the ground operations. We were ready for the ground operations but we did not push through," Jalandoni said. — With reports from Marichu Villanueva, AFP