JI leader arrested in Davao Oriental, two local contacts nabbed

By Ronron
February 19, 2008

Army and police operatives arrested last Sunday morning a suspected Jemaah Islamiya (JI) leader and nabbed his two Filipino contacts during a raid in Davao Oriental province, military officials said Tuesday.

In a news conference at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., identified the suspected terrorist as Mohamad Baehaqi, 26, an Indonesia national who uses the aliases Latif, Salman, and Tatoh, and the two alleged JI local contacts as Cabiza Generoso and Mohar Abais Generoso.

Esperon said Baehaqi was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued by Judge Francis Palmones, Jr. in Kidapawan City last January 12, 2007 for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder in relation to the bombing in Makilala, North Cotabato last October 2006.

The arrest was done by elements of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, Intelligence group, Joint Special Operations Group, in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) at around 7am of February 17 at Baehaqi’s alleged safehouse in Barangay Piso in Banaybanay town.

“The arrest of (Baehaqi) is a big blow to the terrorists that will further frustrate whatever plans they have,” Esperon said.

Esperon said authorities traced Baehaqi through their intelligence efforts, after following him from Jolo, Sulu.

He said Baehaqi has been in the country since September 2003, arriving using the backdoor, and stayed in Sulu, Zamboanga, Cotabato and Davao Oriental.

“He has been to Jolo and operatives took it from there. From Jolo, they (operatives) tried their best to track him and operate against him when he reached Davao Oriental,” Esperon said.

Esperon said Baehaqi “was involved in the March 27, 2006 Jolo-Sulu Cooperative bombing where nine people killed, and the Makilala-General Santos-Cotabato tri-bombing on October 10, 2006 where more than a dozen people were killed and wounded scores of others.”

Baehaqi was presented briefly in the news conference, which was also attended by Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano, and AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence Rear Admiral Leonardo Calderon.

For three times, Baehaqi, who was wearing a yellow shirt, shouted “Alahu Akbar!” while standing at the back of Esperon and Yano.

“That (shouting of Baehaqi) really tells you that he’s for real. They always say that – ‘Alahu Akbar!’ or ‘Praise Allah!’ And he said something else that is an indication of his leanings,” Esperon said.

Esperon said that recovered from the suspected terrorists during the raid were a Caliber 22 Winchester rifle, a 12-gauge Armscor shotgun with bandoleer, a Norinco caliber .45 pistol, a cash money worth P4,500, two cellphone units, one pair of camouflage uniform, two pairs of combat boots, a jungle hammock, a black backpack, 24 pieces blasting caps, explosives, ammunitions, detonating cord, soldering iron, remote detonating devices, earphone, bomb-making diagram with notes in Bahasan Indonesia, pop sheets in Arabic characters, several dry cell batteries, four pieces Sim packs, small Swiss knife, one Toshiba laptop, and two flash drives.

He said they are still determining if Baehaqi has immediate plans of conducting bombing incidents in or near Davao Oriental. While in Davao Oriental, Baehaqi allegedly has been training local recruits to make bombs.

Esperon said Baehaqi was trained in making bombs by no less than Dulmatin, the alleged JI bomber with $10 million reward on his head for masterminding the Bali, Indonesia bombings.

“He admitted to have since joined the group of Dulmatin, Omar Patek and Marwan who are known JI members. He was the JI liaison in Central and Southern Mindanao at the time of his capture,” Esperon said.

While he may have no reward on his head, Baehaqi is among the 30 known JI elements present in the country today, said Esperon.

So far, Baehaqi is the fifth JI to be neutralized by Philippine authorities since the late 1990’s, according to Calderon.

He will be under the custody of the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City for subsequent filing of appropriate charges before the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation, while the two Generoso’s are detained at the 10th ID headquarters in Panacan, Davao City.

The Generoso’s will be charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, said Esperon./DMS