U.S. Doubts Death Of Terrorist Umar Patek In Southern Philippines
Komfie Manalo - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent Zamboanga City, Philippines (AHN) - The U.S. military on Wednesday expressed doubt over claims by the Philippine military that they have killed Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) operative Umar Patek, who is suspected to be the brains behind the 2002 Bali bombings in Indonesia. Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) maintains that Patek was killed during a military offensive on August 1, in Indanan, Sulu. The military launched the attacks as part of its ongoing campaign to flush out Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani, Patek and fellow JI member Dulmatin, who has also been linked to the Bali bombings that killed some 202 people, mostly tourists. Brigadier General Benjamin Dolorfino, deputy chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' WESTMINCOM says the army is still verifying the report and have yet to receive a confirmation. Matthew Lussenhop, spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy in Manila, explains they "have seen such report but have no confirmation that he [Patek] was injured or killed." "So, in the absence of confirmation, [we believe] he is still alive."
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