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CNN Live Today

Who Is Abu Sabaya?

Aired June 21, 2002 - 12:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Government forces in the Philippines believe a notorious rebel leader was killed today in a gun battle. U.S. helicopters are now helping Philippine forces search the ocean in the southern Philippines for the body of Abu Sabaya. He reportedly jumped off a boat after being wounded. CNN's Maria Ressa with more now on who he is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Aldam Tilao, aka Abu Sabaya, once worked for the Philippine government and trained for the police force before he became one of the most notorious leaders of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf. Several times during his kidnap-for- ransom career, Abu Sabaya offered to release his hostages in exchange for the freedom of a terrorist held in a U.S. prison -- Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind behind the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

When his demands were ignored, Abu Sabaya took quick, brutal action. His group beheaded nearly a dozen people last year. In 2000, he began targeting Americans, kidnapping Jeffrey Schilling, who later escaped. The next Americans were not so lucky. Abu Sabaya beheaded Guillermo Sobero last year, while missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham were used as human shields for more than a year, here forced to read a statement of support for al Qaeda.

Two weeks ago, Martin and a Filipino nurse were killed during a military operation, which rescued Burnham's wife. Her first question to Filipino soldiers: Did they get Abu Sabaya? Well, now they have. Before dawn Friday, Philippine Special Forces intercepted a boat off the coast of Zamboanga del Norte. Abu Sabaya was wounded in the firefight, but, along with two others, jumped off the boat. Four others were captured.

ANGELO REYES, PHILIPPINES DEFENSE SECRETARY: The terrorist threat remains. And we should always remain vigilant. And the worst thing that could happen is we become complacent.

RESSA: In the past year, Abu Sabaya frequently taunted Filipino and U.S. forces chasing his group. About 1,200 U.S. troops are in their last month of training exercises in the southern Philippines.

(on camera): The Pentagon approved a plan to send U.S. troops to what's effectively the front lines in the war against the Abu Sayyaf, helping the Philippine president's resolve to, in her words, "hunt the terrorists down."

Maria Ressa, CNN, Manila.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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