A senior leader of the Muslim Abu Sayyaf group was formally charged with murder Thursday while seven other members of the notorious kidnap gang were captured, officials said.
Under heavy guard, Nadjmi Sabdulla, 40, alias Commander Global, was produced in court in the southern Davao city where he allegedly murdered a tourist resort worker while on a kidnapping spree in May.
In the May 23 raid on the Pearl Farm beach resort on Samal island off Davao, Sabdulla and his men allegedly fired rocket propelled grenades when resort staff tried to foil their bid to kidnap tourists.
Three days later, another Abu Sayyaf unit seized three Americans and 17 Filipinos from a beach resort in western Palawan province.
Sabdulla is described by military intelligence as one of the Abu Sayyaf's "core" group who also helped engineer kidnapping raids on two Malaysian resorts last year, during which they seized dozens of foreigners whom they ransomed off for millions of dollars.
Court officials said Sabdulla pleaded "not guilty" when read the charge of murder amid tight security.
"I did not have anything to do with that," a handcuffed Sabdulla told reporters as he was led away by some 50 police and military escorts to a waiting truck after the brief court appearance.
"Yes, I am a member of the Abu Sayyaf," a defiant and bearded Sabdulla said, but denied reports that the rebel group had links with Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the September 11 terror attacks in the United States.
Officials said about 100 other police and military personnel, armed with automatic rifles, secured the courtroom to thwart possible attempts by Abu Sayyaf gunmen to rescue their leader.
Prosecutor Leo Dacer said they plan to separately charge Sabdulla and 22 other associates for the death of a second hotel worker during the May raid and for piracy and illegal possession of firearms.
Sabdulla, who had a $98,039 reward on his head, was arrested in July following a tip off from villagers.
Meanwhile, the military said Thursday that seven Abu Sayyaf guerrillas were captured and two others turned themselves in over the past two days as government forces stepped up operations to rescue 18 hostages being held by the group in the southern Philippines.
"We have been getting a lot of information on the Abu Sayyaf from civilians and the military is happy about this development," military southern command spokesman Colonel Fredesvindo Covarrubias said.
More than 5,000 troops have been dispatched to Basilan to secure the 18 US and Filipino hostages believed being kept in the island's vast jungle -- DAVAO, Philippines (AFP)
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