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Government operatives have arrested an Abu Sayyaf bandit who was involved in the Lamitan siege in 2001 in downtown Zamboanga City, the police reported Tuesday.

The bandit was arrested around 10 a.m. Saturday near the City Hall along Valderoza Street in downtown area.

The police identified the suspect as Annik Usama alias Abu Sama, a native of the nearby province of Basilan.

Usama was arrested on the strength of warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 2 Judge Danilo Bucoy for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

Usama was spotted along Valderoza by the intelligence operatives of the 3rd Air Division of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), who immediately called the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) and asked for back up.

They immediately arrested Usama upon the arrival of the policemen and took the bandit to the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) for tactical interrogation.

The police said that Usama was among the Abu Sayyaf members who took control of the Dr. Jose Maria Torres Hospital and St. Peter Church's compound on June 2, 2001.

The bandits managed to escape in the afternoon of the same date dragging along with them five hospital staffs including two nurses as captives. = PNA