Children of alleged Bali bomber found after raid on Simunul Island

Southern Luzon: The four missing children of alleged Jemaah Islamiya bomber Dulmatin have been recovered during a raid on Simunul Island off Tawi-Tawi in the southern Philippines, a regional naval official said.

Commodore Emilio Marayag, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command, said the children, aged two, five, seven and nine, were found inside a house in Bacung village in Simunul Island after a composite team of army soldiers and police raided Dulmatin's alleged safe house at around 5.30am local time yesterday morning.

Marayag said the military recovered an M16 rifle and found the caretakers of the house, identified only as Nursitti and Kilsitta, holed up. The two were taken into custody by the military.

Marayag said the children will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development office in Manila.

He added the presence of Dulmatin's children is an indication he could be in the area.

The military have been searching for the four children since last year, when only two of Dulmatin's kids were found with his wife, Istiada Oemar Sovie, who was arrested in Basilan for alleged violation of immigration laws. Sovie and the two children are already in Indonesia.

Dulmatin, along with Umar Pratek, another Indonesian bomb expert, have been wanted in the Philippines for their alleged participation in the 2002 Bali bombing that killed about 200 people including tourists.

Defence Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Junior said the discovery of Dulmatin's children may pave the way for his imminent arrest.

- With inputs from Cher Jimenez