South-east Asia's wanted terrorist with $5m U.S. bounty on his head killed in PhIls

[joebloggs]

South-east Asia's most-wanted terrorist and two other senior militants were killed today in a U.S.-backed air strike in the Philippines, military chiefs said.

Malaysian Zulkifi bin Hir, known as Marwan, a top leader of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terror network was apparently killed in a dawn strike on a militant stronghold on a southern island.

The leader of the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf militants, Umbra Jumdail, and Singaporean leader in Jemaah Islamiyah, Abdullah Ali, were also apparently killed.

The bodies of the three men have not yet been recovered from the heavily-forested mountain camp because the area remains under the control of another rebel group - the Moro National Liberation Front - so their deaths have not been officially confirmed.

Major General Noel Coballes said no one was captured in the strike and some militants escaped, before returning later to retrieve the bodies of those who died.

Around 30 militants were in the camp near Parang town on Jolo Island - the Abu Sayyaf stronghold which they share with Indonesian-based Jemaah Islamiyah - when it was bombarded by two OV10 aircraft.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1lDj2lLGR



Campaign: A wanted poster released by the Philippine military shows bin Hir on the middle row, left side. Two other militants, Umbra Jumdail (top row, second right) and Abdullah Ali were also apparently killed This undated wanted poster released jointly by the Philippine military and the U.S. Embassy in Manila shows terrorist leaders wanted by authorities for murders, extortion and kidnappings with corresponding rewards for their capture. On Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, the Philippine military announced it killed three most-wanted leaders of the al-Qaida-linked terrorist groups Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah in a U.S.-backed, dawn airstrike in one of the most significant successes against terrorism in Southeast Asia in recent years. Two of those allegedly killed were Filipino Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail, top row second from right, and Malaysian Zulkipli bin Hir, middle row, left). (AP Photo/Philippine military and U.S. Embassy)



another one for you to cross off dedworth

[Dedworth]

Good news indeed. Is that a first using air power against this lot rather than troops on the ground ?

Time for the US Contractors will bring in the drones - a proven winner in Pakistan

Another report here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16849271