Radullan Sahiron

About

Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information on Radullan Sahiron, also known as Commander Putol. Since 2005, Sahiron has been the overall leader of the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

Sahiron has perpetrated several acts of terrorism involving bombings of civilians and kidnappings of U.S. and foreign nationals.

– Sahiron ordered bombings on Jolo Island in 2004, killing 11 Filipino civilians and a U.S. serviceman and wounding more than 200 others. The improvised explosive devices used in the bombings were initially assembled at Sahiron’s headquarters, Camp Tubig Tuh-Tuh, on Jolo Island, Philippines.
– Sahiron played a role in the May 2001 Dos Palmas kidnapping of three U.S. citizens and 17 Filipinos from a tourist resort in Palawan, Philippines. Several of the hostages, including U.S. citizen Guillermo Sobero, were murdered.
– Sahiron was considered the key leader of the April 2000 kidnapping from a resort in Sipadan, Malaysia. Sahiron and four other ASG members abducted 21 foreign tourists and resort employees, including Westerners, Malaysians, and Filipinos.

Sahiron has held several senior positions within the ASG. As early as 1999, he was one of 14 members of the ASG’s Majlis Shura (consultative council). In mid-2002, he served as an advisor to ASG leader Khadaffy Janjalani.  Additionally, Sahiron has held several leadership positions over ASG fighters in the Sulu Archipelago area of the southern Philippines.

From 2000 through 2003, Sahiron held various ASG leadership roles, including as the leader of the ASG’s Putol group, composed of an estimated 100 members operating on Jolo Island in the Sulu area of the southern Philippines; as the head of the Sulu-based ASG consisting of 18 armed groups; as the ASG Chief of Staff in Sulu; and as the overall ASG commander on Jolo Island with an estimated 1,000 fully-armed followers.

Sahiron may be hiding in southern Mindanao or Patikul Jolo, Sulu, Philippines.

On February 27, 2007, Sahiron was indicted in U.S. federal court and charged with hostage taking. U.S. authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on the same date. Sahiron is on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List.

On November 30, 2005, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Sahiron as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. As a result of this designation, among other consequences, all property and interests in property of Sahiron that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with Sahiron. In addition, it is a crime to knowingly provide, or attempt or conspire to provide, material support or resources to the FTO ASG.