Abdurajik Abubakar Janjalani
Encyclopedia
Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani (1959? – December 18, 1998) was born on the Philippine
island of Basilan
to a Muslim-Christian family.
Janjalani was most notably remembered as the chief founder and leader of Abu Sayyaf
separatist organization until his death in 1998 by Filipino police. Upon his death his brother, Khadaffy Janjalani
, took control of the organization. Janjalani, a former teacher, studied theology and Arabic in Libya
, Syria
and Saudi Arabia
during the 1980s.
When he returned to the Philippines
in 1990 Janjalani was able to attract many Muslim
youth to join his organization. Janjalani was also allegedly given $6 million by Osama Bin Laden
to establish the organization as an offshoot of the Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF). Janjalani had allegedly met Bin Laden in Afghanistan
in the late 1980s and allegedly fought alongside him against the Soviet Union
during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. At the time of his death, he was the country's most wanted man, with a bounty of 1.5 million pesos on his head.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
island of Basilan
Basilan
The Province of Basilan is an island province of the Philippines within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Basilan is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago and is located just off the southern coast of Zamboanga Peninsula...
to a Muslim-Christian family.
Janjalani was most notably remembered as the chief founder and leader of Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several military Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro where for almost 30 years various Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country...
separatist organization until his death in 1998 by Filipino police. Upon his death his brother, Khadaffy Janjalani
Khadaffy Janjalani
Khadaffy Abubakar Janjalani was the nominal leader of the Filipino militant group Abu Sayyaf and the leader of one of its factions.Janjalani was also known as Daf or Pek...
, took control of the organization. Janjalani, a former teacher, studied theology and Arabic in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
during the 1980s.
When he returned to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in 1990 Janjalani was able to attract many Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
youth to join his organization. Janjalani was also allegedly given $6 million by Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
to establish the organization as an offshoot of the Moro National Liberation Front
Moro National Liberation Front
The Moro National Liberation Front is a political organization that was founded by Nur Misuari in 1969. The MNLF struggles against the Philippine Government to achieve independence of the Bangsamoro Land...
(MNLF). Janjalani had allegedly met Bin Laden in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in the late 1980s and allegedly fought alongside him against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. At the time of his death, he was the country's most wanted man, with a bounty of 1.5 million pesos on his head.