Wanted: Dead or Demised
Khadafy Janjalani, suspected of kidnapping missionary Gracia Burnham, is believed to be killed. Meanwhile the mastermind of the Tucker-Menchaca kidnap and murder has been captured. Lots of coverage from Gateway Pundit. Is Janjalani dead? The Philippines is notorious for generating news stories which turn out to be false, as in the case of the supposed capture of Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron. One possible indication Janalani has truly died is that the press is already remembering him fondly.
Basilan hostages whom the group kidnapped in Tumahubong in 2000 said in an interview that Khaddafy, unlike the group’s spokesman Abu Sabaya, was "kind." "He was gentle and he would always give instructions to his men to take it easy with the kidnapped children," said 14-year old Charry Vergara who survived almost two months of captivity by the Abu Sayyaf.
A teacher who was also hostaged by the bandits was thankful that "between two evils," it was Khaddafy who led the kidnapping in Claret High School and not the grim Abu Sabaya who led the kidnapping at the nearby elementary school. "Sabaya was more violent and harsh. Khaddafy was at least meek and kind to the hostages," the teacher recalled.
Another kidnap victim said Khaddafy was good looking. "He did not at all look like he was a bandit," said a young female student after seeing the young Abu Sayyaf leader.
posted by wretchardthecat at 12/28/2006 02:40:00 PM
15 Comments:
More bad guys are coming to a bad end:
Somalia
"Several American military and intelligence sources have informed us that the Ethiopians are not taking 'foreign' prisoners on the battlefield - al-Qaeda fighters are being summarily executed."
We need to get some Ethiopian troops in Iraq. Are they an ally on the WOT? Being a primarily Christian nation and everything I wonder if anybody from the administration has ever approached them.
"Until experts are certain that the body is that of Janjalani, we cannot declare with confidence that he is already dead," said Brigadier General Juancho Sabban, commander of the southern Philippines-based Marine brigade that recovered the supposed remains of the militant leader.
He said experts from the Philippine National Police crime laboratory with the help of forensics experts from the United States are due to conduct dental and DNA tests on the recovered remains of the 31-year-old militant leader.
3 Weeks to Confirm
It looks like the Somalia Islamists lost quickly for the same reason the Taliban fell quickly in Northern Afghanistan: the people did not support them.
Like the Taliban, the Somali Islamists originally had the support of the people in order to end years of chaos. But just like the Afghans, the Somali Muslims came to hate the tryannical control of the Islamists.
The Islamists had controlled Buur Hakaba for more then two months and massed troops there for their assault on Baidoa.
But residents -- who complained the SICC had drastically cut the highway commerce the town survives on and imposed a brand of Islam too harsh for local customs -- said its fighters had been quick to swap their fatigues for civilian clothes.
Many said they were happy to see the back of them.
"I am very glad. I did not expect them to lose so swiftly and I thank Allah for their failure," said one local.
Another resident, 56-year-old Sheikh Ali Hassan, agreed.
"They have been here 65 days and I have never seen such abuse and harassment," he told Reuters.
"We have been Muslims for thousands of years. We have not been missing religion, we have been missing a government."
Link
So the eulogies for Khadafy Janalani have begun but I wonder if Al Mendoza of Zamboanga Little League fame can come out of hiding?
Wretchard,
Thank you for all the posts this year. I gain alot of knowledge from your fine site. Happy New Year to you.
It's imperative that the United States transition quickly to an unconventional war strategy with USSOCOM [Special Forces] generals and/or admirals in charge, or the war will be lost.
Link
Is this the answer?
Meanwhile, coming from Big A's Jihadi Five and Dime:
___Afghanistan
In the statement, the Taliban leader (Mullah Omar) accused foreign forces of "ruthless bombing" that had killed and displaced thousands of Afghans including women and children.
"It has now become a permanent cruel practice and barbaric habit of our enemy. We must stand by the people to fight against the enemy and to take revenge of their blood," it said.
___Somalia
" Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the executive leader of the Council of Islamic Courts told The Associated Press. "We will not run away from our enemies. We will never depart from Somalia. We will stay in our homeland."
“Islamic fighters have gone door to door in Kismayo, recruiting children as young as 12 to make a last stand on behalf of the Islamic courts, according to a confidential U.N. situation report…”
Why is it so darned hard to pick a fight with guys so danged anxious to fight? It's almost like they are in hiding or something.
Three reasons I strongly oppose the “arrest” of unlawful combatants:
Milblogger Wounded
Meet Petty Officer Third Class Dustin E. Kirby
Major Megan McClung
It is not improbable that the perps responsible had been previously “arrested” and released.
I notice that at least two of the three US casualties were in Anbar, like many others. Yet most of the talk about adding more troops is for Baghdad. It seems that Anbar is the source of most of the anti-American terror, the kind that could hurt us at home, so that's where our emphasis should be. I hope Bush's new plan includes Anbar.
Wretchard, I have been reading your very fine work for many years, but have not posted before. I wanted to thank you sincerely for this excellent blog, and wish you and yours a happy new year. Also, greetings to all of your regular posters whose fine comments I have been reading for years, as well.
wu wei,
The Sunni clans appear to have an insatiable death wish. In the interest of sensitivity to all things Islamic (I am thinking of Mr. Blair’s Foreign Affairs pontifications, here) they should assuredly be assuaged. Can the West do less in the cause of Heaven?
Are the Ethiopians going for death and demisable surety? Yes, if the movement of armored columns means anything. It may turn that the Ethiopians are going to provide some much needed lessons in occupation as well.
A first rate job by Bill Roggio
Carry a big stick and use it liberally.
In northern Mogadishu, residents said men with scarves over their faces and assault rifles in their hands lurked on the street corners. Mogadishu has plenty of gunmen, of every age and every clan, but gunmen hiding their identity is something new and may be a sign of a developing insurgency.
“We’re going to turn this place into another Iraq,” said Abdullahi Hashi, a construction worker who said he was part of a new underground movement to fight the Ethiopians.
Many analysts have said that if the Ethiopian troops protecting the internationally recognized transitional government of Somalia linger in the country too long and their intervention turns into a full-scale occupation, it will uncork a long and nasty guerilla war.
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