Philippine military: Airstrikes kill top terrorists, including one on FBI list
From Jethro Mullen and Kathy Quiano, CNN
updated 6:45 AM EST, Fri February 3, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- U.S. officials had a $5 million bounty for a Jemaah Islamiyah leader killed in the airstrike
- The Malaysian was on the FBI most-wanted list for "providing material support to terrorists"
- In past, Philippine officials made premature announcements about fugitives' deaths
(CNN) -- The Philippine military said it killed a man who is on the FBI most-wanted terror list and two other senior militants Thursday in a predawn airstrike on a remote southern island.
About 15 militants died in the early morning airstrike on the island province of Sulu, part of the autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao, according to a spokesman for the Philippines armed forces.
The dead included two senior figures in Jemaah Islamiyah and members of the militant group Abu Sayyaf, said Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, the spokesman.
U.S. officials had a $5 million reward for the capture of Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Abdul Hir, according to the FBI website.
The Malaysian, also known as Marwan, was on the FBI most-wanted list for "providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists" and contributing "goods and services" to a global terror network.
Another Jemaah Islamiyah member Mohammad Ali, also known as Muawiyah, and Abu Sayyaf leader Gumbahali Jumdail were also among those killed, according to the spokesman.
The airstrike was a joint effort between the army, air force, the navy and the police and was "very brief but precise," Burgos said.
The Philippine police are at the scene helping identify the bodies, Burgos said, but added that he didn't think DNA tests had been conducted yet.
In the past, Philippine officials made premature announcements about the capture and deaths of Indonesian fugitives Dulmatin, who turned up in Indonesia in 2010, and Umar Patek, who was captured in Pakistan last year. Both had fled to the southern Philippines and were reported captured or killed in Mindanao.
The Mindanao group of islands includes a Muslim autonomous region set up in the 1990s to quell armed uprisings by people seeking an independent Muslim homeland in the Philippines, a predominantly Christian country.
The Jemaah Islamiyah terror group first came to international attention when the Bali bombings of October 2002 provided a stark warning of the group's abilities and its deadly ambitions. Active across much of Southeast Asia, it has close ties with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network.
Part of complete coverage on
updated 7:50 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
It's an outside-the-box solution, says Clyde Prestowitz, but the German government can save Greece by reissuing its beloved deutsche mark.
updated 5:33 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Images of slaughter in the Syrian town of Houla provoked outrage around the world, but sometimes outrage isn't enough to spur action, says Tim Lister.
updated 3:56 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Alleged poison attacks against students in Afghanistan show the fragility of the country's transition, says Gayle Lemmon.
updated 5:27 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Airport dining doesn't have to be terminal, as a new wave of eateries elevates cuisine above the level of greasy burgers and wilting sushi.
updated 7:10 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Andrew Keen says our self esteem is determined by our use of social media -- so let's embrace tech which lets data degenerate over time.
updated 7:27 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Republican Graham Smith argues why the UK monarchy should be consigned to the history books.
CNN's Richard Quest rails against the censorious ratings warnings placed on inflight movies.
updated 12:06 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Queen Elizabeth was criticized for being aloof after Princess Diana's death in 1997. But one royal insider says that wasn't the case.
updated 5:45 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Businessman Christian Stadil believes firms must care about more than money and that corporate social responsibility helps attract talented workers.
updated 11:08 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
It's hard being a female busineswoman in a country where women need permission to work or travel. But some try.
updated 3:31 AM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012
How law enforcement agencies are readying themselves for this month's Euro 2012 soccer tournament.
updated 8:53 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Adoptions from Africa have surged three-fold in eight years -- but campaigners fear that children from the continent are becoming commodities.
updated 7:17 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
He's been running all his life, running for freedom, running for peace. Now Reza Baluchi is heading for Mt. Everest by running across the Middle East.
updated 7:13 AM EDT, Tue May 29, 2012
An old meatpacking plant in Chicago is being transformed into an eco farm, which its founders say will produce food sustainably with zero waste.
Most popular stories right now
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|