Abdul Manap Mentang, an
MILF bomb expert, Mursid Mubpon, a member of the
MILF elite group, were presented to media at the
military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.
Also arrested was Monawara Usop, Mentang's
live-in partner.
The three were caught in separate raids in
Manila, military spokesman Lieutenant General
Edilberto Adan said in a press briefing.
Adan said Mentang and Usop allegedly conducted
“casing operations” at the US Embassy last
September 23.
Mubpon was tasked to design a bomb using a
cellular phone to be used on the embassy, Adan
said.
“They were up to something and we have
prevented that,” Adan said.
The three are also linked to the bomb attacks at
the international airport and the Sasa wharf in
Davao City in early 2003, said Adan.
Mentang admitted that JI leader Zulkifli
ordered the bombings, which killed over 30
people, Adan said.
Adan said Mentang got the explosives from
another JI member Abdul Jabidi alias Bedz,
believed
to be hiding at an MILF camp in Paglat town,
Maguindanao province.
“As such, the AFP requests the GRP and MILF
panels to bring to the courts of justice Bedz
and other Indonesian nationals who have links
with him and are present in the area,” he said.
In a statement, military public information
office chief Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Lucero
identified the other alleged JI members believed
to be hiding in Kapatagan, the boundary between
Maguindanao and Lanao provinces, as Usman alias
“Rizal” and Zacky alias “Jack.”
Those hiding in Paglat are Abdul Rati
Talanghati alias Bigok and Samrud al Ormatan
alias Marwan, Lucero said.
Adan downplayed the impact of the arrests of
on the government’s peace talks with the MILF.
He said only a faction of the MILF
perpetrated the attacks meant to sabotage the
negotiations.
“We are building confidence (with the MILF),”
Adan said, citing the presence of ceasefire
monitors in Mindanao, expected to lay the
groundwork for the talks set in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.