Khadaffy Janjalani
Encyclopedia
Khadaffy Abubakar Janjalani (also transliterated
as Khadafy Janjalani, Khadafi Janjalani and Khaddafi Janjalani) (March 3, 1975–September 4, 2006) was the nominal leader of the Filipino
militant
group Abu Sayyaf
and the leader of one of its factions.
Janjalani was also known as Daf or Pek. He was a citizen of the Philippines and spoke both Tausug
and Tagalog
, as well as some Arabic. According to the FBI, he was quiet and reserved and was thought to be indecisive and was overconfident.
Janjalani was indicted in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
, for his alleged involvement in terrorist acts, including hostage kidnapping and murder, against United States nationals and other foreign nationals in and around the Republic of the Philippines. Janjalani allegedly served as the Amir or spiritual leader of Abu Sayyaf Group, which allegedly took the foreign nationals hostage.
For that indictment, on February 24, 2006, Janjalani was among six fugitives in the second and most recent group of indicted fugitives to be added to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
list along with two fellow members of Abu Sayyaf.
The United States
government offered a 5 million US Dollar
(250,000,000 PHP
) reward for Janjalani's capture.
On December 27, 2006, the Philippine military reported that what appeared to be Janjalani's remains had been recovered near Patikul, on Jolo
Island, southern Philippines, and that DNA
tests had been ordered to confirm the discovery. As related by fellow fighters taken prisoner, he was shot in the neck in an encounter with government troops on September on Luba Hills, Patikul town, Sulu Island. On January 20, 2007, Military Chief General Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
announced the identity of the corpse has been confirmed, through a DNA comparison with a brother of the militant conducted by the American FBI.
Khadafi Abubakar Janjalani was born in 1975 in Isabela City, currently one of the smallest and poorest, or 5th class, cities of the Philippines
. Located on the north of the island of Basilan, Isabela is also the capital of Basilan province, across the Basilan Strait from Zamboanga City
. But Isabela City is administrated under the Zamboanga Peninsula
political region north of the island of Basilan, while the rest of the island province of Basilan is now (since 1996) governed as part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) to the east.
Consequently, being on the social or political division line, Isabela City and Basilan island have seen some of the fiercest fighting between government troops and the Muslim separatist group Abu Sayyaf through the early 2000s.
Before Khadafi Janjalani was born, in the early 1970s, the Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF) was the main Muslim rebel group fighting in the Basilan region of the southern Philippines.
In the late 70s, Abdurajik Abubakar Janjalani
, Khadaffy Janjalani's older brother, was a former teacher from Basilan, who had studied theology and Arabic in Libya
, Syria
and Saudi Arabia
. Abdurajik then became a veteran of the war against the Soviet Union
during the Soviet war in Afghanistan
. During that time, he allegedly met Osama Bin Laden
, and was given $6 million to establish his own offshoot group in the southern Philippines, out of members of the extant MNLF.
By then, as a political solution in the southern Philippines, ARMM had been created, in 1989, when the younger Janjalani was thirteen years old, growing up on Basilan.
.
Meanwhile, Abu Sayyaf Group had started out on their own by 1991 under the leadership of the elder Janjalani brother, Abdurajik. By 1995 they had been acitve in large scale bombings and attacks in the Philippines, and also had become associated with Ramzi Yousef
(of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1994 Philippine Airlines Flight 434
bombing, and the foiled 1995 Operation Bojinka), and also with Jemaah Islamiyah
(al-Qaeda
's southeast Asia
associated branch led by Hambali). At some point in the early 1990s, the younger brother Khadaffy Janjalani had also joined Abu Sayyaf, as a teenager, and was eventually imprisoned by the Philippines government.
In 1995, 20 year-old Khadaffy Janjalani escaped from Camp Crame
in Manila
along with another member named Jovenal Bruno.
On December 18, 1998 the older brother Abdurajik Janjalani was killed in a firefight with the Philippine National Police
on Basilan island. He is thought to have been about age 39 at the time of his death.
The group's motive for kidnapping became more financial and less religious during the period of Khadaffy's leadership, according to locals in the areas associated with Abu Sayyaf. The hostage money is probably the method of financing of the group.
Khadaffy Janjalani was indicted in the United States for his alleged involvement in terrorist acts, including hostage taking by Abu Sayyaf and murder, against United States nationals and other foreign nationals in and around the Republic of the Philippines.
Consequently on February 24, 2006, Janjalani was among six fugitives in the second and most recent group of indicted fugitives to be added to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
list along with two fellow members of Abu Sayyaf, Isnilon Totoni Hapilon
and Jainal Antel Sali, Jr.
Janjalani's aliases include Khadafi Abubakar Janjalam, Khaddafy Abubakar Janjalani, Abu Muktar, Amir Khadafi Abubaker Janjalani, Khadafi Abu Muktar, Jimar Manalad Montanio, Khadafi Montanio, Abu Mochtar ("The good-hearted"), "Daf", and Omar Bin Salik.
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
as Khadafy Janjalani, Khadafi Janjalani and Khaddafi Janjalani) (March 3, 1975–September 4, 2006) was the nominal leader of the Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
group Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several military Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro where for almost 30 years various Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country...
and the leader of one of its factions.
Janjalani was also known as Daf or Pek. He was a citizen of the Philippines and spoke both Tausug
Tausug language
Tausūg is a language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines, in Malaysia, and in Indonesia by the Tausūg people....
and Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, as well as some Arabic. According to the FBI, he was quiet and reserved and was thought to be indecisive and was overconfident.
Janjalani was indicted in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
, for his alleged involvement in terrorist acts, including hostage kidnapping and murder, against United States nationals and other foreign nationals in and around the Republic of the Philippines. Janjalani allegedly served as the Amir or spiritual leader of Abu Sayyaf Group, which allegedly took the foreign nationals hostage.
For that indictment, on February 24, 2006, Janjalani was among six fugitives in the second and most recent group of indicted fugitives to be added to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted Terrorists is a list of fugitives who have been indicted by sitting Federal grand juries in the United States district courts, for alleged crimes of terrorism. The initial list was formed in late 2001 in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks...
list along with two fellow members of Abu Sayyaf.
The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government offered a 5 million US Dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
(250,000,000 PHP
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
) reward for Janjalani's capture.
On December 27, 2006, the Philippine military reported that what appeared to be Janjalani's remains had been recovered near Patikul, on Jolo
Jolo
Jolo may refer to:* Jolo Island* Jolo, Sulu* Jolo, West Virginia* Jolo is also the nickname of Swedish author Jan Olof Olsson....
Island, southern Philippines, and that DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
tests had been ordered to confirm the discovery. As related by fellow fighters taken prisoner, he was shot in the neck in an encounter with government troops on September on Luba Hills, Patikul town, Sulu Island. On January 20, 2007, Military Chief General Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force...
announced the identity of the corpse has been confirmed, through a DNA comparison with a brother of the militant conducted by the American FBI.
Background on Basilan birthplace
Cities of the Philippines
A city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure...
. Located on the north of the island of Basilan, Isabela is also the capital of Basilan province, across the Basilan Strait from Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City
The City of Zamboanga : is a highly urbanized, independent and a chartered city located in Mindanao, Philippines....
. But Isabela City is administrated under the Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and...
political region north of the island of Basilan, while the rest of the island province of Basilan is now (since 1996) governed as part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is the region, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan , Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is the only region that has its own government...
(ARMM) to the east.
Before Khadafi Janjalani was born, in the early 1970s, the Moro National Liberation Front
Moro National Liberation Front
The Moro National Liberation Front is a political organization that was founded by Nur Misuari in 1969. The MNLF struggles against the Philippine Government to achieve independence of the Bangsamoro Land...
(MNLF) was the main Muslim rebel group fighting in the Basilan region of the southern Philippines.
In the late 70s, Abdurajik Abubakar Janjalani
Abdurajik Abubakar Janjalani
Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani was born on the Philippine island of Basilan to a Muslim-Christian family.Janjalani was most notably remembered as the chief founder and leader of Abu Sayyaf separatist organization until his death in 1998 by Filipino police. Upon his death his brother, Khadaffy...
, Khadaffy Janjalani's older brother, was a former teacher from Basilan, who had studied theology and Arabic in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. Abdurajik then became a veteran of the war against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during the Soviet war in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
. During that time, he allegedly met Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
, and was given $6 million to establish his own offshoot group in the southern Philippines, out of members of the extant MNLF.
By then, as a political solution in the southern Philippines, ARMM had been created, in 1989, when the younger Janjalani was thirteen years old, growing up on Basilan.
Abu Sayyaf Group under Abdurajik Janjalani
His older brother Abdurajik then returned home to Basilan island in 1990, where he gathered radical members of the old MNLF, to found Abu Sayyaf Group. It was named after his own alias, which was Abu Sayyaf. MNLF had moderated into an established political party, which eventually became the ruling party of the ARMM, by its full institutionalization in 1996 on the southern Philippines island of MindanaoMindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
.
Meanwhile, Abu Sayyaf Group had started out on their own by 1991 under the leadership of the elder Janjalani brother, Abdurajik. By 1995 they had been acitve in large scale bombings and attacks in the Philippines, and also had become associated with Ramzi Yousef
Ramzi Yousef
Ramzi Yousef was one of the main perpetrators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and a co-conspirator in the Bojinka plot. In 1995, he was arrested at a guest house in Islamabad, by the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence and United States Diplomatic Security Service, then extradited to the...
(of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1994 Philippine Airlines Flight 434
Philippine Airlines Flight 434
Philippine Airlines Flight 434 was the route designator of a flight from Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Pasay City, the Philippines, to New Tokyo International Airport , Narita near Tokyo, Japan, with one stop at Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Cebu, the Philippines.On December 11, 1994...
bombing, and the foiled 1995 Operation Bojinka), and also with Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiah , is a Southeast Asian militant Islamic organization dedicated to the establishment of a Daulah Islamiyah in Southeast Asia incorporating Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Philippines, Singapore and Brunei...
(al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
's southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
associated branch led by Hambali). At some point in the early 1990s, the younger brother Khadaffy Janjalani had also joined Abu Sayyaf, as a teenager, and was eventually imprisoned by the Philippines government.
In 1995, 20 year-old Khadaffy Janjalani escaped from Camp Crame
Camp Crame
Camp Crame is the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police and is located in along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Quezon City...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
along with another member named Jovenal Bruno.
On December 18, 1998 the older brother Abdurajik Janjalani was killed in a firefight with the Philippine National Police
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it does provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines...
on Basilan island. He is thought to have been about age 39 at the time of his death.
Abu Sayyaf Group under Khadaffy Janjalani
The 23 year-old Khadaffy Janjalani then took power of one of Abu Sayyaf's factions in an internecine struggle. He then worked to consolidate his power within Abu Sayyaf, causing the group to appear inactive for a period. After Janjalani's supremacy was secured, Abu Sayyaf began a new tactic, as they proceeded to take hostages.The group's motive for kidnapping became more financial and less religious during the period of Khadaffy's leadership, according to locals in the areas associated with Abu Sayyaf. The hostage money is probably the method of financing of the group.
Khadaffy Janjalani was indicted in the United States for his alleged involvement in terrorist acts, including hostage taking by Abu Sayyaf and murder, against United States nationals and other foreign nationals in and around the Republic of the Philippines.
Consequently on February 24, 2006, Janjalani was among six fugitives in the second and most recent group of indicted fugitives to be added to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted Terrorists is a list of fugitives who have been indicted by sitting Federal grand juries in the United States district courts, for alleged crimes of terrorism. The initial list was formed in late 2001 in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks...
list along with two fellow members of Abu Sayyaf, Isnilon Totoni Hapilon
Isnilon Totoni Hapilon
Isnilon Totoni Hapilon is a leader of the Filipino terrorist organization called the Abu Sayyaf Group...
and Jainal Antel Sali, Jr.
Jainal Antel Sali, Jr.
Jainal Antel Sali, Jr. was the leader of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist terrorist organization affiliated with Al Qaeda....
Janjalani's aliases include Khadafi Abubakar Janjalam, Khaddafy Abubakar Janjalani, Abu Muktar, Amir Khadafi Abubaker Janjalani, Khadafi Abu Muktar, Jimar Manalad Montanio, Khadafi Montanio, Abu Mochtar ("The good-hearted"), "Daf", and Omar Bin Salik.