Troops kill bomb expert in Maguindanao

ZAMBOANGA - Joint military and police operatives have killed an alleged notorious leader and a bomb-making instructor of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao, a top military official said.

Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez, Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, identified the slain BIFF bomb-making instructor as Murad Ali.

Galvez said Ali was killed when he allegedly resisted the government troops in a law enforcement operation around 1 a.m., Monday, May 23, in the village of Capiton, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

He said the troops were about to serve search warrants against Ali for violation of Republic Act No. 9516 and Republic Act No. 10591.

The Wesmincom said troops recovered the following: a 60-milimeter mortar round, a fragmentation grenade, an assault rifle, a laptop computer, and bomb-making components.

He said the recovered items were brought to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for documentation and proper disposition.

The remains of Ali were turned over to his relatives after proper procedures were made by the Scene of the Crime Operatives team.

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