PHILIPPINE ARMED FORCES ANNOUNCE KILLING OF ASG

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 000196 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, PM, S/CT, AND EAP/MTS STATE ALSO FOR DS/DSS/DO/PETERSON AND DS/ICI/RFJ/SCHINDEL-GOMBIS USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO AND J5 SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/BAILEY) JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2017 TAGS: PTER MARR MASS MOPS MCAP PREL ASEC RP SUBJECT: PHILIPPINE ARMED FORCES ANNOUNCE KILLING OF ASG LEADER ABU SOLAIMAN REF: MANILA 102 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: (U) Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon announced on January 17 that Philippine troops had killed Abu Sayyaf Group leader Jainal Sali AKA Abu Solaiman in an encounter on Jolo Island on January 16. Abu Solaiman was under U.S. indictment for his role in the kidnapping of U.S. citizens Gracia and Martin Burnham and Guillermo Sobero, and Martin Burnham's and Guillermo Sobero's subsequent deaths. He carries up to a $5 million reward under the U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program. ¶2. (U) According to Esperon, a Philippine government agent who had infiltrated the Abu Sayyaf positively identified Abu Solaiman's body. Philippine 8th Special Forces Company killed Abu Solaiman while overrunning an Abu Sayyaf Group camp on Mt. Dajo as part of the ongoing "Operation Ultimatum." The main Abu Sayyaf element broke contact and fled the site. Philippine military intelligence officers separately told U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines counterparts that they are "150-percent sure" that the terrorist's body is that of Abu Solaiman. ¶3. (C) Two U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents detailed to U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines are currently on the ground assisting in exploitation of the site and have taken fingerprints from Abu Solaiman's body. Philippine troops recovered a global positioning system location device, an array of bomb-making materials, and a stack of documents from the camp, which consisted of complex of 17 reinforced bunkers. ¶4. (C) The January 16 raid is the latest in a series of successes the Philippine military has scored in "Operation Ultimatum" against the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah leadership on the island of Jolo. Since the August 1, 2006, onset of the operation, the AFP troops have killed an estimated 38 terrorists, while capturing 15 others. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: The Philippine government announced Abu Solaiman's death based upon what appears to be compelling physical evidence. We will not be able to determine with certainty the identity of the body until the completion of the fingerprint analysis. Regardless of the outcome, the January 16 action represents a significant success. Philippine troops, supported by U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines planning assistance, intelligence fusion, and surveillance assets, infiltrated the Abu Sayyaf camp in the driving rain through thick, mountainous jungle terrain before launching their attack. The operation is further testimony to the Philippine military's increased proficiency in counterterrorism operations. In conversations with Ambassador, both General Esperon and Executive Secretary Ermita cited U.S. training and assistance as key factors in their growing successes in combating terrorism. KENNEY