Marines release 2 Sayyaf minors

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Marines released two of the five suspected Abu Sayyaf members whom they captured in Patikul, Sulu last Wednesday after they turned out to be minors, the military said.

This developed as the government troops shifted their offensive against the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf from Indanan to Patikul town where Khadaffy Janjalani, the extremist group’s chieftain, and two Jemaah Islamiyah members, Dulmatin and Umar Patek, had slipped into to elude their attackers.

Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, chief of the 3rd Marine Brigade, said the two minors were turned over to their relatives upon the advise of concerned government agencies.

The two minors were captured along with three other suspected Abu Sayyaf members, including a woman, following fierce fighting at the foot of Mt. Bud Bahu in Patikul.

Sabban said one of the five tried to elude a Marine checkpoint, but was noticed as he was wounded.

Marines recovered an M-16 rifle and a caliber .45 pistol from the wounded suspect, who was brought to a hospital in downtown Jolo. He has been under tight guard while undergoing treatment.

Patikul is a known stronghold of Abu Sayyaf leader Radullan Sahiron, whose son, Ismin, was killed in the ongoing military offensive.

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino, deputy chief for operations of the Armed Forces Southern Command, said government troops are now pursuing Janjalani’s group in Patikul.