9 Filipinos found guilty of intrusion into Sabah

More than three years after the Kg Tanduo intrusion which killed 11 security personnel, nine Filipinos have been found guilty of having waged war against the Malaysian king.

Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, 53, the nephew of the late self-proclaimed Sultan Jamallul Kiram III who ordered the attack in Kampung Tanduo, was convicted under Section 121 of the Penal Code along with Filipinos Atik Hussin Abu Bakar, 45, Basad Manuel, 41, Ismail Yasin, 76, Virgelio Nemar Patuluda Mohammad, 52, Al Wazir Osman, 61, Salib Akhmad Emali, 63, Tani Lahad Dahi, 63, and Julham Rashid, 69.

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The offense carries the death penalty.

Amirbahar, Salib, Al Wazir, Tani and Julham – as well as Timhar Hadir, 39, and Habil Suhaili, 68 – were also convicted of being members of a terrorist group under Section 130KA of the Penal Code.

Habil died in April during trial due to health problems. Prior to the hearing yesterday, Atik, Basad and Ismail had admitted to the charge, which carries a jail term of up to 30 years. Others who had pleaded guilty earlier to the same charge were Lin Mad Salleh, Holland Kalbi and Aiman Radie.

High Court Justice Stephen Chung similarly convicted Nor­haida Ibnahi, 49, the only woman on trial, of harboring persons committing terror acts under Section 130K.

He, however, acquitted Basil Samiul, 35, of knowingly soliciting support for a terrorist group under Section 130J but ordered for him to be deported.

The only Malaysian to stand trial, Abdul Hadi Mawan, 52, was also found guilty by Chung of being a member of the terrorist group.

Two others, Pabblo Alie and Mohamad Ali Ahmad, had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of promoting terrorist acts and knowingly soliciting support for a terrorist group.

All of them will know their fate today when Chung sentences them.

Chung will also hear mitigation from the group’s counsels N. Sivananthan, Abdul Ghani Zelika and Putli Noor Asikin Datu Gulam.

The 239-day trial began on Jan 6, 2014 with the prosecution calling 166 witnesses while the defense had called 20.