‘Sulu terrorist’s’ capture: Escape or surrender?

DIGOS CITY, Philippines– Could it be possible that members of the so-called Sulu “royal army” threw away whatever weapons they earlier possessed so they could escape the manhunt on their group by some 5,000 Malaysian security forces?

This question popped up among Sabahans, who called up a radio station based in the said state, shortly after a news anchor read a report saying an “unarmed Sulu terrorist” had surrendered after stumbling into a team of security forces in Tanjung Batu around 5 p.m. Monday.

In the report, the unidentified “Sulu terrorist” ran when he saw a team of security forces as he tackled a swampy area of Tanjung Batu but he was later caught and was forced to surrender, the radio station said, quoting an unnamed military official.

Sabah residents who called up the station said they wondered where the man’s firearm could be.

One listener said he could not understand why a “terrorist” would wander without anything to defend himself from the very same forces that have been hunting him and his group.

State-run Berita Nasional Malaysia (Bernama) said Malaysian Army Chief General Zulkifli Zainal Abidin has confirmed the surrender of the suspected “Sulu terrorist.”

Bernama said Abidin had also confirmed the man – whose identity had not been released – is now under the custody of the Special Forces of the Malaysian police.

Malaysian police Deputy Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar, the state-run media said, has declined to release anymore information as the details of the man’s surrender will be released during the regular morning news conference on the Sabah crisis.