News and Analysis, Philippines – Abu Sayyaf Group Under Sustained Pressure, 06 Jan 07

Philippine troops announced that they killed six member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), including Judnam Jamalul, alias Black Killer. Judnam Jamalul is one of the ASG individuals wanted by the United States for the kidnapping of 20 persons, including three Americans, from a Palawan resort in May 2001. These kidnappings resulted in the beheading of Guillermo Sobero by the ASG, and the death of Martin Burnham killed during the military rescue operation, both U.S. citizens. All six ASG members were killed when the Philippine Armed Forces assaulted their small craft off the island of Tawi-Tawi. (Comment – While in itself this does not represent a significant blow the ASG, the Philippine military, backed by the U.S. military Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines in an advisory and intelligence support role, have been pushing the ASG hard over the last several months. Most operations have centered on Jolo Island (a follow-on to past operations on Basilan Island), with a concentrated effort to capture or kill Dulmatin, aka Amur Usman, and Umar Patek, both Indonesian nationals believed linked to the 2002 Jemaah Islamiyah Bali bombings in 2002. In addition, as a result of the Jolo operation, it has been reported that the ASG’s leader, Khaddafy Janjalani, might have been killed. DNA tests are currently being performed to confirm the identity of a body believed to him. What separates the current operation from those in the past is the sustained effort by the Philippine Armed Forces. If they do not let up and continue to hunt and search for ASG members, as they have over the past few months, it is likely that they will significantly degrade the ASG’s operational capability on Jolo Island, a key stronghold. The current operation, concurrent with potentially successful negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), could become a key turning point in the eventual neutralization of the ASG. [slr]