Meanwhile, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation has included the leader of the Abu Sayyaf, Khadaffy Janjalani, and his two senior lieutenants Isnilon Totoni
Hapilon and Jainal Antel Sali Jr. in the “Most Wanted Terrorists and Seeking Information-War on Terrorism lists.” In Sulu several days later, Marine troopers
captured an Abu Sayyaf assassin and bomb expert during a raid in Jolo, Sulu. Julkaram Maron Hadjail, who is trained as a demolition man of the Abu Sayyaf’s
urban terrorist group, was nabbed hours after the military intelligence agents captured another Abu Sayyaf terrorist, Burham Sali in Parang town.

Sali was tagged in the kidnapping of tourists and resort workers from the Dos Palmas resort Palawan on May 27, 2001. “Hadjail is an Abu Sayyaf-UTG member and
a courier of ammunition and food supplies of their group in Patikul,” said Maj. Gamal Hayudini, Armed Forces Southern Command information chief. Two days
earlier, the Marines 64th Force Reconnaissance Company also encountered an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf terrorists under sub-leader Jul Asbi Jalmaani
in Barangay Darayan, Patikul. Marine Col. Juancho Sabban, 3rd Marine Brigade commander, said the Abu Sayyaf suffered no casualty as they managed to elude the Marines.

The series of arrests and encounter with the Abu Sayyaf came more than a week after the US forces involved in the Balikatan 2006 pulled out their forces upon
completion of the exercise in Sulu. The Balikatan 2006 that officially ended March 6 left many areas in Sulu with various humanitarian projects, including
schools and water system and well.

The FBI said the terrorists are being sought for their alleged involvement in various attacks or planned attacks around the world. Hanno was suspected of
taking part in the abduction of Sobero and the Burham couple. The military linked Sali, who is facing a string of kidnapping and murder charges, to the
killing of Kansas missionary Martin Burham and California man Guillermo Sobero and several Filipino hostages in Basilan island.

“The arrest of Sali is part of our continuing operation against the terrorists. Let this be a warning to the others that there is no escape from the long arm of
the law,” said Major General Agustin Dema-ala, the commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao province.

Major General Gabriel Habacon, commander of military forces in the southern Philippines, praised the FBI on Wednesday for the inclusion of Janjalani and two
senior Abu Sayyaf leaders to its wanted list and said the Philippines will closely work with US authorities in the so-called war on terror. “It is a
welcome development and we assure that we will continue working closely with the US government to capture suspected terrorists in the southern Philippines,"
Habacon said. Security forces raided the hideout after weeklong surveillance operations, he said. “Sali was also involved in the kidnapping of dozens of
teachers and school children in Basilan in 2001. He will have to pay for all the crimes he committed,” Dema-ala said.

Sali was said to have escaped a massive military operation in Basilan in 2002 and hid in central Mindanao until security forces tracked him down. Many of
those kidnapped, including Catholic priest Roel Gallardo, were tortured and beheaded, and the women raped by their captors, a military dossier on Sali’s
group said.

Sobero, Burham and his wife Gracia, and 17 other Filipino holiday-makers were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf group on May 2001 and brought to Basilan island.
Sobero was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf and a year later Martin Burnham died in a US-led military rescue while his wife was wounded.