Abu Sayyaf member shot dead in Lahad Datu
LAHAD DATU: Malaysian security forces yesterday shot dead a man who is believed to be a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group in a fi re exchange incident at waters off Lahad Datu, near Pulau Kantung, Kalungan about 3am.
The suspect was identified as Abu Paliyak, 31, who was also known as Komander Paliyak.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Ramli Din in a press conference revealed that the suspect was also a stooge of the Kidnapping For Ransom Group ( KFRG) known as Kumpulan Remy.
Ramli said the suspect was one of 11 members of the group who was active in cross border crimes along the Southern Philippines and Sabah east coast.
He said five members of the group had been detained by the Philippine authority, four were kil led while one was still at large.
“In the incident, the suspect was believed to be wandering off the Malaysian and Philippine waters, observing and monitoring the security forces’ movements before conveying the information to KFRG.
“This suspect is also believed to be involved in kidnapping cases in Lahad Datu and Kunak as well as some robbery cases at sea,” said Ramli during a press conference with Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) commander DCP Datuk Hazani Ghazali.
Ramli said the incident occurred when a team of security forces comprising members of ESSCom special force and the marine police force went patrolling at the area about 3am.
He said the team detected a boat steered by a suspicious man and tried to approach the boat.
“While introducing themselves as the police, the man opened fire and sped off, forcing the team to return fire.
“Once the fire exchange stopped, the team went to inspect the boat and found a man lying inside the boat with a pump gun, one bullet shell and one 12 bore bullet,” he said, adding that the suspect was hit by four shots on his left ribs.
The boat was later towed to the Lahad Datu marine base for further investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division.
According to Ramli, this is the second case that security forces shot dead individuals believed to be cross border criminals.
Ramli said with the death of the suspect, the police believed they had managed to solve several cases of kidnapping and sea robberies in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) in 2014 and 2015.
He added that the police and security forces will continue detailed investigations to track down the remaining member of the group.