MANILA: The Philippine military chief confirmed today that wanted Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman, who has links to the Indonesian-based Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist network and is a suspect in deadly bomb attacks in the south, has been killed.
Washington has offered a US$1 million award for Usman’s capture and prosecution.
Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said that infighting among Usman’s bodyguards led to a firefight Sunday in southern Maguindanao province, near a designated safe area for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group that signed a peace deal with the government last year.
He said it was not clear how Usman was killed, and the military was investigating if he was already dead when Muslim rebels arrived to check the firefight.
“What we are confirming is Basit Usman is dead,” Catapang told reporters, saying the military has physical evidence, including people who saw Usman’s body being buried. He said the military commander in the area was investigating if Muslim rebels had a role in Usman’s killing.--AP