ASG bandit arrested ahead of anti-terrorism summit

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Security forces in Zamboanga City arrested an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandit involved in mass kidnappings in Basilan, a day before the regional anti-terrorism summit here.

Police said Hussin Iril alias at addressing violent extremism Ibba Gani, captured at Paseo del and terrorism. Defense SecreMar on Thursday afternoon, was tary Delfin Lorenzana attended implicated in the abductions the summit. and brutal killings in Lantawan Iril was the 4th Abu Sayyaf town after the bandits raided a fighter arrested in Zambococonut and rubber plantation anga in recent weeks. He is there in 2001. currently being interrogated.

President Rodrigo Duterte, Three other militants, natives citing fresh intelligence reof Basilan, were captured reports, recently said that locently for plotting to bomb cal militants allied with the civilian targets here. Islamic State ( IS), are targetZamboanga has been bombed ing Zamboanga and Isabela many times in the past years City in Basilan, one of five and residents face a continuing provinces in the Autonomous threat from the Abu Sayyaf. Region in Muslim Mindanao. The anti- terrorism summit is

Ulama or Muslim scholars an offshoot of the Ulama forum from Zamboanga City, Basilan, held in Cotabato City in May. Sulu and Tawi- Tawi provinces Initiated by ARMM, the regional gathered here on Friday for a Darul Ifta and Majlish- Shura, two- day regional summit aimed Regional Gov. Mujiv Hata- man said they are mobilizing the Ulama to spread the true teachings of Islam to counter the threat of violent extremism.

The Darul Ifta said that “terrorism and mischief cannot be accepted as synonyms to jihad, or part of the struggle, because our religion commands us to be compassionate to all beings in the land.”

The summit also condemned the brazen attack of IS- inspired bandits in Marawi City on May 23. The fighting has been ongoing for more than five months now and has virtually turned Marawi into a war- ravaged city similar to Mosul in Iraq.

Hataman said the summit brings together the Ulama in the region for mutual consultation and for discussions on the pressing issue of violent extremism and terrorism, as well as to reach a consensus on how to protect the Muslim community in general, and determine the Ulama’s role in countering and preventing extremism.

Meanwhile, three ASG terrorists with high- powered firearms have surrendered to authorities on Friday in Barangay Bulibangao, Tongkil town of Sulu.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the 545th Engineering Command Battalion and the Philippine Coast Guard in Western Mindanao facilitated the surrender on Thursday.

The ASG men were identified as Ajimad Musnali, Nanah Amdad Tunggal and Hasiri Sabirin under the group’s sub- leader Alhabsy Misaya who was killed in a shootout with troops of Joint Task Force Sulu. They turned over three caliber 30 spring field firearms.

Sobejana said the bandits mentioned leadership vacuum, lack of logistics and finances, disorganized group and lost of community support as among the reasons for their surrender.

“They [ also] realized that beheading among their kidnapped victims is un- Islamic,” Sobejana noted.