AFP on terrorist previously thought dead: ‘We will get him’

Marwan. PHOTO FROM FBI.GOV

MANILA, Philippines—The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday backtracked from earlier reports that it said that Malaysian terrorist Marwan was dead and vowed to capture him soon.

“We never said he was killed in that airstrike, it was never validated,” Zagala said Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, AFP Public Affairs Office Chief said in a phone patch interview. “The only way to validate is if there is a body or DNA evidence, which there was none.”

On Wednesday, the Associated Press obtained a copy of the statement of captured Abu Sayyaf leader Khair Mundos, recounting that he saw Marwan still alive in Maguindanao.

Zagala said that they are continuing their operations for the capture of Marwan, who is identified with the international terror group Jemaah Islamiah and has been wanted for his alleged involvement in the 2002 Bali bombing.

“We consider Marwan as a fugitive on the run and slowly we will get him,” Zagala said. “We will catch him sooner or later.”

“Our operations against Marwan are ongoing, we will get him.”

Zagala backtracked from earlier reports that Marwan was killed in an airstrike, saying that no body was found after the operation.

Zagala noted that bigger terrorist threats–Malaysian, Tekri and Indonesian Salusi—were both killed in 2012.

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