Abdul Basit Usman

Abdul Basit Usman
Born	Ahmad Akmad Usman y Batabol 1974 (age 40–41) Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, Philippines
Nationality	Philippines[1]
Other names	show all (3) Usman[2] Basit[2] Basit Usman[2]
Religion	Islam

Ahmad Akmad Usman y Batabol^[2] more commonly known as Abdul Basit Usman is a bomb making expert who is head of the Special Operations Group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and has links with Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah groups.^[3] Usman is on the US Rewards for Justice program list, offering US $1 Million for his capture.^[1]

Early life

Usman was born in 1974 in Labo-Labo village in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao^[2] He worked as an Overseas Filipino Worker in Pakistan before engaging in militant activities.^[4]

Militant activity

FitMart Mall bombing

Usman was implicated with the FitMart Mall bombing in General Santos City in April 21, 2002 which killed at least 15 people and injuring 55 others.^[3] Weeks laters he was arrested for his implication to the mall bombing. He is believed to have assembled the bomb which detonated in front of the mall's department store. He was interrogated at the Sarangani Provincial Police Station. He exhibited satisfactory behavior and was made preso caballero or a minimum security detainee. Usman was not locked up in his detention cell. He would later escape in October 2002.^[4]

Cooperation with Tahir Alonto

Upon his escape, Usman joined with Tahir Alonto who was a former commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Alonto was accused by the military for leading the Pentagon, a kidnap-for-ransom group. Usman later offered to turn himself in and asked the police to arrest him. Police Senior Inspector Aucelito Cabang who was Usman's custodial officer along with three other officers came to Alonto's controlled territory to arrest Usman but was tricked and killed.^[4]

Later bombings

Usman would be later linked to other bombings; the bombing at the public market of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat in October 10, 2006 which injured four people and the Cotabato City bombings in January 5 and 7, 2007 which killed 2 people and injured 3 people.^[3]

Supposed deaths

Usman was reported to have killed along with several others in a US drone strike in Pakistan near the Afghan border in January 14, 2010. The drone strike targeted Pakistani Taliban leader, Hakimullah Mehsud.^[5] He was later reported to be a casualty of a series of military shellings done in Maguindanao.^[4]

Terror threat

Usman tries to planning a bomb attack Davao City^[6] because of the potential terror threat. On June 27, 2014, President Benigno S. Aquino III tries to talk on a phone to the Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte about the threat in Davao City for the another bombing incident since the next day.

Mamasapano clash

Usman later resurfaced after he was reported to be killed twice. On January 25, 2015, Abdul Basit Usman was one of two targets in Oplan Exodus in Mamasapano, Mindanao, Philippines, now known as the 2015 Mamasapano clash. His companion and other target of the operation, Zulkifli Abdhir was killed in the raid, while Basit escaped.^[7] Although Abdhir was supposedly killed in the raid, both Basit and Abdhir remain on the USDOJ's Rewards for Justice Program as of March 12, 2015.

All-out Offensive

Usman later fled to somewhere in Liguasan Marsh. Reports said he was wounded in Mamasapano clash and AFP launched the offensive to capture him.

References