Hiding weapons a guerilla warfare tactic, High Court told

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KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here was told yesterday that the Kampung Tanduo intruders’ act of hiding their weapons was actually a guerilla warfare tactic.

Testifying in the trial of 30 individuals linked to the intrusion by Sulu gunmen in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, two years ago, Staff Officer 3 of the Army’s 5th Brigade, Capt Kamarul Harith Abu Hurairah said the act of hiding weapons was a common tactic by freedom fighters.

However, he said he was not sure whether the act was the result of the leaflets distributed by the police advising the intruders to do so.

To a question by counsel Datuk N. Sivananthan during cross examination, the witness said he was not aware that the police had dropped leaflets on Kampung Tanduo via helicopter, advising the armed intruders to “hide and bury” their weapons before surrendering themselves to the security forces.

“When you said it was a common guerilla tactic of hiding their weapons, you basically answered without the benefit of knowing about the leaflets?” asked Sivananthan, to which the witness replied: “Yes.”

“I am not aware about this (distribution of leaflets by police). I was not shown the leaflet,” continued the witness.

During the examination-in-chief earlier, Kamarul Harith said he found items such as camouflage clothing, weapons and ammunitions in an inconspicuous manner near Kampung Tanduo while carrying out an operation to track down and apprehend the intruders.

To a question by Deputy Public Prosecutor Jamil Aripin, the army officer said such a tactic of hiding firearms was to prevent the intruders from being pursued by the security forces.

“Based on what I was trained for about 18 months as an army officer, tactics such as this is normally done by guerrillas,” he said.

In the dock are 27 Filipinos and three local residents who are facing one to multiple charges ranging from being members of a terrorist group to waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

They are also alleged to have recruited members for a terrorist group or wilfully harboured individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.

The offences were allegedly committed between Feb 12 and April 10, 2013.

The hearing, before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department, resumes on May 18. — Bernama