Abu bombing squad now in Metro — PNP

Abu Sayyaf leaders are said to have dispatched to Metro Manila a five-man squad of demolition experts from Basilan to prepare for a rash of bombings in the metropolis.

Senior Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya, Philippine National Police (PNP) intelligence chief, told reporters yesterday the violent scenario was disclosed during the interrogation of a captured intelligence officer of the Abu Sayyaf.

"We don’t want to unduly alarm the public but that (bombing) was the claim of the arrested Sayyaf officer," he said. "We are up to now validating such reports. Metro Manila is safe but you know, safer is better than safe."

Berroya said Haraim Abdullajid, alias Abdul Ajid Ngayah, who carried a P1-million reward on his head, was arrested by agents of the PNP, Army and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency in a safehouse on Zamboanga street, Maharlika Village in Taguig on the night of June 17.

Berroya said police intelligence agents are scouring Metro Manila for the five Abu Sayyaf terrorists, who are believed to have blended with the local population.

"We are looking for five more Abu Sayyafs," he said. "They are capable of going around. What we are doing is to check whether they are still here. We have identified them. We are hoping for more arrests and we also hope that we have thwarted their plan in Luzon with Abdulajid’s arrest."

Berroya said police believe that the five demolition experts have been trained in terrorist camps abroad on how to plant bombs in crowded urban areas for maximum damage and casualties.

Abdulajid admitted to interrogators to being the coordinator of the planned series of bombings in Metro Manila, he added.

Berroya said Abdulajid also told police his superiors had ordered him to make contact with Hector Janjalani, the jailed brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadhafi Janjalani.

Hector was detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City after being arrested in a mall in Metro Manila early this year while trying to sell a video tape of former hostage Jeffrey Schilling to a foreign correspondent.

Berroya said Abdulajid will be turned over to a court in Basilan, which had issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with his alleged participation in the kidnapping of 50 students and teachers in Basilan last year.

Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign ministry urged Turkish citizens not to travel to the Philippines due to kidnappings of foreign tourists for ransom by the Abu Sayyaf group.

The ministry noted in a written statement that the Abu Sayyaf had also recently kidnapped foreign tourists in Metro Manila.

"On account of the risky atmosphere in the Philippines, it would be proper for our citizens who plan to travel to the region to practice caution and if possible postpone their travel plans," the statement added.