Abu Sayyaf 'Will hit Back Using Islam': Terrorists Realize Huge Loss Largely Because Of 'American Presence'

June 22, 2002
By Shefali Rekhi

Setbacks will only serve to fuel the militancy of Filipino bandits who will use any platform that suits them, experts say


SLAIN leader Abu Sabaya's death is a significant blow for Abu Sayyaf extremists. It will damage the group's morale and could push the bandits to hit back, this time using Islam as their platform.

Terrorism watchers told The Straits Times that Sabaya's death could see the bandit gang change its tactics - to rally for an Islamic state, either on its own or by joining forces with other separatist groups.

So far, Abu Sayyaf bandits have thrived on kidnappings-for-ransom.

'The bandits realise that this huge loss is largely because of the American presence,' terrorism analyst Shyam Tekwani, who teaches at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told The Straits Times.

'It will make them more militant and they may now want to make that switch, to either join Muslim separatist groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or form their own.'

He said the group would either become impulsive and launch more attacks - making some mistakes in the process - or lie low to rethink its strategy.

But he felt the former was more of a possibility since the gang has not been known to plan its operations like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or the Al-Qaeda.

The bandits' actions will be determined by the hold on the group of current leader Khadaffy Janjalani, said Mr Tekwani.

The reclusive leader did not appear to have much clout, he added.

Janjalani is one of the brothers of Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Janjalani, who was killed by troops in 1998.

Those who have studied the Abu Sayyaf say Sabaya was effectively the real leader - commanding the more dangerous Basilan faction of the group that has done most of the kidnappings.

Of the group's two other commanders, Hector Janjalani - who is older than Khadaffy - is behind bars, having been arrested in January for a series of bombings in Manila while Galib Andang, who sports the name Commander Robot, heads the Solo faction.

But it was Sabaya who had made the group prominent, physically leading attacks at times.

Some hostages, now free, have said that they saw Sabaya leading the pre-dawn raid on a resort in May last year in which 20 hostages were taken, among them American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and Guillermo Sobero of Corona, California.

While Gracia Burnham was rescued, her husband Martin Burnham was killed during the battle to free them. Sobero was beheaded and his remains were found scattered in the jungle.

'Sabaya was really the group's hard-core military commander who planned and directed the kidnappings,' said terrorism researcher Zachary Abuza.

He is travelling through South-east Asia to map out Al-Qaeda's network in this region for a book that will be published next year.

Dr Abuza is also the Director of East Asian Studies at the Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts.

Talking to The Straits Times yesterday, he said the confessions of the captives arrested by Philippine troops showed that Sabaya was clearly the leader in control.

'He was charismatic, strict and did not seem to tolerate dissent,' he said.

But he said Sabaya's death would not mean the end of kidnappings.

'Kidnapping is big business in the Philippines and an important part of the economy,' he said.

Besides, the reasons that have led to terrorism and militancy in the country had not really been tackled.

'There are still hardly any jobs, lack of development is obvious, and infrastructure is so poor,' said Dr Abuza.

'Also, the operatives still have the guns with them,' he added.

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