Lahad Datu incursion leader Kiram dies

Agbimuddin Kiram, who led the incursion into Lahad Datu in Feb 2013 died of a heart attack in his hometown in Tawi-Tawi, Simunul in the Philippines, Filipino media report.

Online portal Rappler cited Filipino police sources who said that Kiram died at his home on Tuesday.

Kiram  led 200 armed men in an incursion to claim Sabah for the defunct Sulu sultanate.

The standoff led to the deaths of 60 people including eight Malaysian policeman, while several others face trial for terrorism-related charges.

The authorities denied reports that there are brewing tensions in Simunul over who would replace Kiram as the leader of the Royal Sultanate Forces, Rappler reported.

Earlier on Jan 13, Bernama reported the Kota Kinabalu High Court heard that one of the accused was believed to have trained for guerilla warfare.

Company 'C' leader of the General Operations Force (GOF) 16th Battalion, ASP Mohamad Zaiful Zahari said Aiman Radie, had displayed guerrilla warfare tactics when he was arrested on the beachfront of Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu about 7.20pm on March 2, 2013.

This was despite the accused having worn civilian clothes and carrying a sling bag containing mostly toiletries, he testified.

Mohamad Zaiful, who was then GOF 16th Battalion's Company 'A' Platoon Commander 1, also known as 'Tiger Platoon', said Aiman's act of walking alone on the beachfront at night was a guerrilla warfare tactic to avoid getting caught by the security forces.

"As an officer who has been trained in the 'Tiger Platoon' and learnt guerrilla warfare tactics, minimising our footprints in order to avoid being traced was sufficient to indicate a guerrilla warfare tactic," he said.

Mohamad Zaiful was testifying in the trial of 30 accused persons charged with various offences in connection with the intrusion at Kampung Tanduo. - M'kini