ZAMBOANGA CITY ? A mid-level leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) involved in the kidnapping of Filipinos and foreigners and bombings was arrested in a law enforcement operation in Sulu, a police official said Wednesday.

Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Abubakar Abdulkadil alias Basaron Arok, 35, was arrested around 7:30 am in Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo.

Armed with a warrant of arrest, Verceles said the arresting team composed of Special Action Force (SAF) policemen, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and Sulu policemen swooped down at Barangay San Raymundo.

Verceles said Arok has pending warrants of arrest for kidnapping with ransom and homicide issued by the court of Sulu and for murder issued by the court of Tawi-Tawi.

He said that Arok was involved in the 2019 bombing of Jolo Cathedral and in the August 24, 2020 twin bombings in Jolo. DMS