ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - A namesake of slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden who is equally elusive and notorious, was captured along with 5 of his followers in a series of operations in an island off Basilan province on Saturday, security officials said on Monday.
Chief Superintendent Mario Yanga, commander of the Regional Special Operation Task Group (RSOTG), identified the captured Margani Samla alias "Bin Laden," tagged as one of the city's top 10 most wanted engaged in drug deal and gun-for-hire operations.
Yanga said Samla was captured about 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Little Sangbay Island by members of the Basilan provincial police and the 14th Special Forces.
He said the wanted gang leader went into hiding in Sangbay Island after he fled from this city last year following a police raid on his drug den in Barangay Recodo. A member the police's Special Action Force was killed and 3 others were wounded in the raid.
Yanga said 5 of Samla’s companions were also captured. Their identities are being withheld by the police pending their interrogation.
Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo, city police chief, said that prior operatives pinpointed Samla's location after he was spotted near Barangay Recodo delivering guns and ammunition.
De Ocampo said that they immediately formed a team to arrest Samla, but the suspect managed to escaped to Basilan province.
He said they immediately alerted and coordinated with the police forces in Basilan, which conducted blockade operations on Sangbay Island that resulted to the arrest of Samla.
De Ocampo said Samla is facing 8 criminal charges in four different courts. The charges include murder, frustrated murder, multiple frustrated murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and drug peddling.
He said Samla is also known as a ring leader of a gun-for-hire gang in Zamboanga.
Samla has been brought to the Zamboanga City Police Office for detention.