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Foreign jihadis with ties to Daesh helping Abu Sayyaf
 [Manila Times] Indonesian and Malaysian militants have joined the Abu Sayyaf in fighting Philippine security forces in Basilan province in the Muslim autonomous region.Abu Sayyaf chieftain Isnilon Hapilon is now the leader of Daesh's new battalion in the Philippines, the Katibah Al-Muhajir or the "Battalion of Migrants" comprised mostly of Indonesian and Malaysian jihadists. Malaysian media quoted Singapore-based terror expert Rohan Gunaratna as saying that the new battalion in Basilan was set up because of difficulties faced by Daesh recruits in going to Iraq and Syria. Gunaratna was quoted as saying, "Now we have seen that in the Philippines, IS has created Katibah Al-Muhajir, the Battalion of Migrants. They are (made up of) Malaysians and Indonesians. There are about ten Malaysians (there now)." Last month, Daesh released a video telling its Southeast Asian supporters to head to the Philippines if they found it difficult to come to Iraq and Syria. Gunaratna said, "The Philippines can be a very important launching pad to reach Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore because southern Philippines is very centrally located." The Philippine military hasn't confirmed the new Daesh battalion, but security forces had previously killed several foreign jihadis in Basilan. Basilan province has reportedly become the center of power of the Abu Sayyaf after it pledged allegiance to the caliph of Daesh and named Hapilon as its new chieftain. Hapilon, alias Abu Abdullah, took over from Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani who was killed in a police shootout in December 1998. In a video released by the Abu Sayyaf late last year, more than two dozen gunmen, including children, led by Hapilon were shown hiking in the Basilan hinterlands of Basilan while chanting "Dawlah Islamiyah (Islamic State)" and reciting an Arabic vow of allegiance. In the video, Hapilon was shown with Abu Harith Al-Filibbieni, reportedly the deputy commander of al-Ansar Infantry Division of Daesh, and Mohd Najib Husen (Hussein), alias Abu Annas Al Muhajir, a division head of the Ansar al-Sharia of Daesh. Husen was with other Malaysian jihadis – Mahmud Ahmad, Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee, Amin Baco and Jeknal Adil. The militants explained in the video that they had previously done the bayah, but did it again in front of their new leaders. It is not known when the video was recorded, but it was released just after the military claimed in December that Husen was slain during operations in Basilan. In Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Ansarul Khilafah also pledged allegiance to Daesh. Militants in Indonesia and Malaysia, including the Jemaah Islamiyah, have also done the same. The jihadists also released a video of the Daesh's Alhayat Media Center which shows the Philippines as among countries in Southeast Asia they were planning to expand its 'caliphate'. The Abu Sayyaf is now using the Daesh flag and also the Khilafah Islamiyah Movement and other radical groups in Lanao del Sur where local militants of the Ghuraba (Strangers) – both the Ghuraba and Khilafah Islamiyah Movement are led by a militant named Humam Abdul Najid, who was implicated in the 2013 Cagayan de Oro City bombings. The Ghuraba is reportedly harboring foreign rebels, including an agent of the Jamaat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, a group believed to be the original name of Daesh. Posted by: ryuge 2016-07-10 |
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