Philippine terrorist accused of beheading Malaysian, Canadian hostages surrenders
- Anduljihad Susukan from Abu Sayyaf is the highest-ranking commander of the terror group to be taken into custody
- The Philippine military has been waging a years-long offensive against the militant group, which is aligned with Islamic State
National police chief General Archie Gamboa on Thursday night said that Abu Sayyaf commander Anduljihad Susukan gave up after negotiations with police in southern Davao city, where he was served warrants for at least 23 cases of murder, six for attempted murder and five for kidnapping.
He is the highest-ranking commander of the small but brutal Abu Sayyaf group to be taken into custody so far this year.
The Philippine military has been waging a years-long offensive against the Abu Sayyaf, which has been blacklisted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist organisation for past bombings, ransom kidnappings and beheadings.
Many of the group’s gunmen, mostly peasants and poor villagers, have aligned themselves with Islamic State.
Security officials have blamed Susukan and his men for playing a role in cross-border kidnappings of tourists and other victims from the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island. In 2005, a Malaysian citizen was beheaded by the militants in their jungle base in southern Sulu province on the day Najib Razak, Malaysia’s then-prime minister, arrived in Manila to attend the Apec summit.
