KOTA KINABALU: The leader of a group of VAT69 snipers told the High Court here yesterday that he spotted seven or eight intruders walking hurriedly towards an area while shooting in the direction of his colleagues involved in a skirmish at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu on March 1, last year.
Inspector Rosli Wahab said before the incident, he was watching a group of between 15 and 20 intruders at a well and a drain since 6am, two of whom were in camouflage uniform and carrying firearms.
He said on the same day at 9.55am, he saw seven to eight intruders armed with long barrel weapons near the T-junction of a dirt road in Kampung Tanduo and shouting, “Hoi, Hoi, Hoi” in a language he could not understand.
“Some were in full camouflage uniform and others in civilian clothes. They came from the direction of the houses in Kampung Tanduo.”
About 10am, Rosli said he heard repeated gunshots from sectors B, C and D where his colleagues were conducting close reconnaissance of the village.
Asked by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed what happened to the 15-20 intruders at the two water points earlier, Rosli said he was unsure.
“I had diverted my attention to the seven or eight intruders at the T-junction,” he said.
Abdul Wahab: After watching the incident (intruders shooting in the direction of sectors B, C and D at the T-junction), what were your instructions to your snipers?
Rosli: I instructed my men on the left to fire at the seven or eight intruders and those on my right to shoot in the direction of the two water points.
Abdul Wahab: What was the distance between you and the armed intruders at the T-junction?
Rosli: About 300 metres.
Abdul Wahab: How long did the shooting last between the snipers and the armed intruders?
Rosli: The shootout between me and the snipers on my left with the armed intruders lasted for about 10-15 minutes, while the shootout between the snipers on my right with the armed intruders lasted for about three to four minutes.
After the shootout, Rosli said he used binoculars to see what happened to the intruders at the T-junction and saw one intruder lying motionless.
He also said he was informed by one of his men, Sergeant Omar Jayus who was shooting at the water points that two intruders were seen lying motionless at the drainage.
Earlier, Rosli told the court that he and six of his men conducted a surveillance of the village from the sea at 12.40pm on Feb 24, last year.
He said at a distance of about 1,000 metres at sea and using binoculars and a range finder, he saw the village surau and a large vessel near the estuary.
He said he also saw 10 armed intruders in camouflage uniform emerging from behind the surau and staring at him and his men.
During cross-examination by counsel Datuk N. Sivananthan, Rosli disagreed with counsel that the seven or eight intruders at the T-junction were shooting blindly.
Sivananthan: You said that from the junction near the dirt track, this seven or eight armed intruders were shooting into Sector B, bearing in mind that the seven or eight intruders were in an open area and that Sector B was in an oil palm plantation. Would it not mean that all these seven or eight intruders were shooting blindly into the forest?
Rosli: From what I saw, the seven or eight intruders were shooting in the direction of Sector B. They were not shooting blindly. From what I observed, they were attacking tactically in the direction of sector B.
Sivananthan: As an experienced member of the Very Able Troopers, do you think it is logical that the intruders would be attacking in sectors B, C and D whilst 15-20 other intruders were taking their bath and collecting water very close to the area where the attack by the intruders allegedly occurred?
Rosli: Through my experience, it was logical because two of the intruders (at the water points) were armed with long barrel firearms and they could attack us.
A total of 30 people, comprising 27 Filipinos and three local residents, are being tried in the case, in which some are facing multiple charges of being members of a terrorist group or waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, recruiting members for a terrorist group or willfully harbouring individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.
They allegedly committed the offences between Feb 12 and April 10 last year.
The hearing before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department continues today. — Bernama