Abdul Basit Usman, the Philippine terror suspect whom the military blames for bombings in the nation's south, was killed in a shootout Sunday, the military said.
Usman, who is on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's most-wanted terrorists list with a $1 million bounty, died in a clash with his own men in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao, military chief General Pio Catapang said in an emailed statement on Monday, citing reports.
"Sources on the ground believe that there was infighting among Usman's followers fueled by the tussle for the huge monetary reward that was put on his head," Catapang said. The military is validating reports that Usman, a bomb expert, lost trust in his own men after encounters with government soldiers over the past two months, he said.