Philippine security forces captured the Abu Sayyaf Islamist militant who is suspected in the kidnapping of Australian Warren Richard Rodwell who was held in captivity for 15 months.  Jimmy “Doc” Nurilla is also alleged to be involved in the abduction of an American teenager.

Officials say a multi-agency force captured Nurilla and a fellow militant named Bakrin Haris in the southern port city of Zamboanga.   This is in the volatile region of Mindanao where the Abu Sayyaf has carried out bombings, kidnappings, extortion, and other crimes.  The group ultimately wants to carve out an Islamist state from the Philippines and Malaysia, much in the way that Boko Haram is in Nigeria, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is in the Middle East.

It’s hoped that Nurilla and Haris will have information about another kidnap victim, a young woman named Sabrina Voon who sold cosmetics in Zambanga.  A manhunt is now underway for a third militant named “Walid” who evaded the dragnet that led to the capture of the other two men.  Their commander had already been captured in Manila last week.