Military tracking down next Abu leader Igasan

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Military intelligence operatives have intensified their tracking and monitoring operations to determine the whereabouts of foreign-trained Nasser Igasan, who is said to have taken up the leadership of the Abu Sayyaf after the death of its leaders, military sources disclosed here.

Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon has vowed that the military is not allowing the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf to recover following the deaths of its chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and his second-in-command Jainal Antel Sali Jr., alias Abu Solaiman.

An intelligence source confirmed that Igasan, who has contacts in foreign terrorist cells, is now hiding with the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu.

Igasan "came from foreign training and rejoined the Abu Sayyaf when the Oplan Ultimatum was launched last year," the source said. "He is now being hunted by our intelligence operatives."

The source also said Igasan, who is based in Kalinggalang Kaluang, left the country in 1996 to train with an al-Qaeda terrorist cell.

"He (was) one of those being eyed to take over the (Abu Sayyaf) leadership because he has contacts outside and is foreign-trained," the source added.

However, the source said the level of the military campaign against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu will make it hard for the bandits to train, beef up their strength or re-arm.

Esperon said during his visit here Monday that it would take a lot for the Abu Sayyaf to recover, even as the military forces sustain their operations to deny the terrorists opportunities to regroup and plan attacks.

The military is also preparing to launch a new operation next week, in an effort to smash the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf and capture the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bombers Umar Patek and Dulmatin, who goes by only one name.

The military is not scaling down its forces in Sulu following the preparation of the new operational plan, the source said: "The intelligence units have trained their monitoring on Igasan and the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf and the two JI personalities."