POLICE on Monday morning captured another wanted member of the notorious Abu Sayyaf in Basilan, the third member of the extremist group to be arrested as security forces tightened its watch on potential terror targets in the country including Metro Manila in the wake of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s death, officials said yesterday.

Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero A. Cruz Jr.  said Abdurahman Andang, alias Nas Sen/Abu Nas, was arrested in a raid in Bgy. Tabuk in Isabela City, Basilan, by PNP agents backed up by military troops at 1:30 p.m.

The suspect, wanted for a series of kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges in Basilan, was about to participate in a motorcycle drag race Monday morning in Sitio Landing in Bgy. Kabunbata in Isabela City when he was arrested.

According to Director Felicisimo Khu Jr. of the PNP Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Western Mindanao, the presence of Andang was monitored by agents in Sumagdang, Isabela, since last month. An informant who was shown a copy of the wanted poster of Andang also positively identified the man in the picture as the one who has been staying at the Geras Compound in Sumagdang, he added.

Court records showed that Andang is wanted for his involvement in the infamous Lamitan Siege and the Tairan Golden Harvest hostage-taking incident in Maluso municipality in the early 2000. The suspect was brought by heavily-armed commandos to Zamboanga City where he will undergo more questioning, Khu said.