KOTA KINABALU: Authorities believed they have identified the two Filipino gunmen detained after a gunfight with Malaysian security forces in the waters off Semporna on Thursday night.
The duo were part of seven armed men involved in a kidnapping spree off the waters of Lahad Datu and Semporna that night. They had taken two victims before coming face-to-face with the General Operations Force Battalion 14’s Tiger Platoon.
Malaysian authorities were now trying to ascertain which kidnap-for-ransom groups the duo belonged to.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said the two gunmen, in their early 30s, were being detained for further interrogation.
“We have yet to identify the armed group behind the incident and are still getting more information from the duo to assist our investigation,” he said, after closing the six-day Ex-Rampas programme here.
It was reported that the gunmen first struck a fishing boat off Bakapit, Lahad Datu, at 9pm, abducting the skipper before attacking another boat half an hour later in waters between Pulau Adal and Pulau Gaya.
They struck a third boat at 9.40pm, and took another hostage, who is also the skipper of the fishing vessel, before moving on to a fourth boat manned by the Tiger Platoon.
In the ensuing exchange of fire, three gunmen were shot dead, two were caught, one still missing while another one was believed to have fled with a kidnap victim. Another victim was rescued.
Abdul Rashid added that authorities have yet to receive information of a possible retaliation but would be on alert for any possible threats.