A leader of the Abu Sayyaf rebels who engineered the abductions of dozens of European and Asian hostages last year has been arrested in the southern Philippines, officials said yesterday. Nadjmi Sabdulla (40) was among four Muslim rebels held on Sunday following a raid on their safe house in General Santos city, according to police. Village residents tipped off police about the presence of the rebel leader, also known as Commander Global.
Dozens of European, Malaysian and Philippine hostages were seized last year in two beach resorts off the Malaysian section of Borneo island and later taken to the southern Philippine island of Jolo. All except one were freed, allegedly after the payment of huge ransoms, which the rebels used to buy more weapons and speedboats, the military said.
On May 27th, an Abu Sayyaf faction raided a beach resort off the western province of Palawan and seized 20 hostages, including three Americans. Two Americans and 19 Filipinos, including those from other abductions, remain in rebel hands in the southern island of Basilan.