Aussie army chief gets briefing on hunt for JI leaders

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The chief of the Australian army secretly visited the southern Philippines yesterday for a briefing on the progress of the manhunt for two Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants behind the October 2002 Bali bombings.

Lt. Gen. Peter Leahy flew here from Jolo, Sulu where he was updated on the hunt for Umar Patek and Dulmatin, both wanted for their involvement in the 2002 bombings on the popular Indonesian resort island that killed 202 people, 88 of them Australians.

Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) spokesman Maj. Eugene Batara said Leahy was informed of the progress of the manhunt in Jolo where the two JI militants are being protected by Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafy Janjalani and his bandit group.

Leahy expressed concerns over the stiff resistance put up by the Abu Sayyaf in blocking efforts to capture the two JI militants.

Batara said Leahy offered to help in the training of the local special forces to capture the two militants.

He said the Australian army chief noted the difficulty of the local forces in capturing Janjalani and the two JI militants who use the vast coastlines of the Sulu archipelago to evade the military.

Currently, the Army is using its "riverine unit," whose combat expertise involves coastal and river operations.

More than 5,000 soldiers are involved in the hunt for the three "high-value targets" under the Armed Forces’ "Oplan Ultimatum" since August.

The US government has placed a $10-million bounty for the capture of Dulmatin and $1 million for Patek.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has stepped up the manhunt on the assumption that Janjalani and the two JI militants are still alive and holed up in Sulu.

There were reports that Janjalani and the two Bali bombers were among those killed in the recent offensives in Patikul, Sulu last week.

The military dismissed the reports, saying it might be another ploy from the bandit group in an effort to redirect the offensives.

AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said there was no evidence that indicates the three terrorists have been killed in the attack.

"We are on the offensive. We are running after them. We have no evidence to verify the information that Patek and Janjalani have been killed," Esperon said.

Six Marines were killed and 19 others were wounded in the attack last Sept. 4 that reportedly left Janjalani and Patek badly wounded.

There were reports that the two terrorist leaders later died from their wounds but the military said they have to confirm the report.

"The assumption is that if it is not verified or confirmed they are considered alive and therefore we will press on with the operations," Esperon added.

In last Monday’s Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) forum, Esperon also refused to categorically say if the three are still in the island province.

Esperon though admitted that the three are still near Patikul with two of them nursing their wounds.

Sources, however, revealed the three have already slipped out and are now in Basilan preparing a counter attack. - With Jaime Laude, AFP