Death of bomber huge loss for BIFF — AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday said that the death of a notorious leader and bomber of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) will further degrade their operations especially in Central Mindanao.

Lt. Gen. Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), said the death of BIFF bomb instructor Murad Ali in Barangay Capiton, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, on Monday served as a big blow to the group.

“This recent operational accomplishment will seriously degrade the BIFF, which propagates terrorism by conducting bombing activities in Central Mindanao,” Galvez said.

“Ali was a notorious bomb instructor and a protégée of the late Basit Usman. Just like Usman, he was an expert bomb trainer of newly recruited BIFF members,” he added.

Aside from neutralizing Ali, military and police operatives also seized several firearms and war materials in the series of joint operations launched in Maguindanao at 1 a.m. Monday.

Operatives of the 603rd Brigade, composed of troops from the 5th Special Forces Battalion and the 19th Infantry Battalion, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CIDG-ARMM) conducted joint operations at the ARMM housing project, resulting to the death of Ali.

The operation was conducted on the strength of search warrants issued for violation of Republic Act 9516 or “An Act Imposing Stiffer Penalties for Certain Violations of Illegal/Unlawful Possession of Explosives and RA 10591 or illegal possession of firearms issued by Judge Alexander M. Betoya of the Regional Trial Court of Cotabato City.

Among the items seized were 60mm HE mortar rounds; a fragmentation grenade; an Ingram; and suspected components of an Improvised Explosive Device, composed of seven pieces of nine-volt battery, 16 blasting caps, nine battery connectors, four sets of cutting tools, four cellular phones, a radio, a detonating cord, a GPS, and a laptop.