Dawlah Islamiyah tagged in latest Isulan bomb attack

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Authorities have blamed the Islamic State (IS)-inspired Dawlah Islamiyah terror group as responsible for the April 3 bomb attack at a local restaurant in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat which injured 18 people.

P/Brig. Gen. Eliseo Rasco, Police Regional Office-12 director, said that, based on the initial investigation conducted by a special investigation task

group headed by P/Col. Oliver Enmodias, the improvised explosive device used in the recent bombing attack on Carlito’s restaurant along the national highway in Barangay Kalawag, Isulan bore the signature of the Bangasamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

BIFF is a local terror group allied with the Dawlah Islamiyah, an affiliate local terror group of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria operating in Mindanao.

He said the IED components used in the recent bomb attack were the same as those in the bombs that were used in the previous attacks in Isulan town on August 28 and September 2 last year, which killed four people and 50 others.

Police authorities have filed murder charges against BIFF commander Abu Toraife and several cohorts in connection with last year’s bomb attacks in Isulan town.

Rasco said an the owner of the Carlito’s Chicken Hauz had earlier received text messages from an unidentified suspect, believed to be a BIFF member, who tried to extort money from the management.

He said the terrorist group reportedly carried out the attack after the restaurant owner did not give in to the extortion try.

He stressed that the local terror group are now resorting to extortion activities to raise operational funds for their group.