Sayyaf suspect in Sipadan kidnap killed in Jolo clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY — One of the suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits who participated in the abduction of tourists from the Malaysian resort island of Sipadan in 2000 was killed in an encounter with policemen in Sulu, officials said yesterday.

Lahlong Parad, who took part in the kidnapping of 21 German, French, Finnish and South African tourists along with Malaysian and Filipino resort workers from the beach resort in Sipadan, was killed late Thursday.

Anti-terror Task Force Comet chief Brig. Gen. Alexander Aleo said Parad was killed during a firefight with members of the Sulu police provincial mobile group in Barangay Upper Asturias, Jolo. Police said the rest of the gunmen managed to escape carrying their wounded comrades but leaving behind Parad.

Aleo said Parad also figured in the abduction of the three Indonesian sailors Erickson Hutagaol, Yamin Labuso, and tugboat skipper Ahmed Resmiyadi off Sulu last April.

The military was able to rescue Hutagaol and Labuso last June but Resmiyadi has remained captive.

According to Aleo, Resmiyadi is still being held by the Abu Sayyaf in the dense jungles of Sulu.

The military also tagged Parad in the ambush of an Army officer and two of his men.

Parad was also allegedly responsible for the killing of civilians suspected to be military assets.

The Abu Sayyaf is a gang of Muslim extremists who have been involved in the worst militant attacks in the Philippines including mass kidnappings of foreigners and Christians.

Most of the captives in the Sipadan incident were freed only after hefty ransoms were paid.

The Philippine and US intelligence agencies have linked the Abu Sayyaf to the al-Qaeda network of millionaire Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden. However the group has also been known to carry out smaller crimes in Sulu. — With AFP