[Straits Times] Philippine security forces yesterday arrested one of seven brothers behind the Islamist insurgents that have held parts of the southern city of Marawi for more than three weeks.Mohammad Noaim Maute, described as a trained bomb-maker, was nabbed at a checkpoint in Cagayan de Oro, just after dawn. Maute, said to be an Arabic teacher, was found with a fake Mindanao State University identity card.
Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said, "The subject was involved in bombing incidents in Mindanao previously… He is the youngest of the Maute clan. They have seven children by the matriarch, and he is the youngest."
He said Maute was also involved in the killing of two of six sawmill workers abducted by the militant group in April.
Maute denied that he was a "bomb expert", and said he was a cousin, not a brother, of Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute.
Most of the other six Maute brothers are believed to still be in Marawi. Their parents were taken into custody last week. The subject was involved in bombing incidents in Mindanao previously. They have seven children by the matriarch, and he is the youngest.
The mother, Romato Maute, also known as Farhana, was charged with rebellion yesterday. Believed to be a financier of the Mautes, she was arrested on June 9 as she was being spirited out of Lanao del Sur province.
Mr Zia Alonto Adiong, a politician helping in rescue and relief efforts, said residents fleeing Marawi had seen dozens of bodies in an area where intense fighting has taken place. Adiong said, "Dead bodies, at least 100, scattered around the encounter area."
The army has said 290 people have been killed in the more than three weeks of fighting - 206 militants, 58 soldiers and 26 civilians.
"They have planned for this for a long time and may have laid caches of arms in certain areas that will sustain them as they move into the interiors when they make a retreat or consolidation," said Brigadier-General Padilla.
Lieutenant-Colonel Jay-Ar Herrera, spokesman for Task Force Marawi, said that soldiers had begun moving into districts held by some 100 to 200 militants. He said, "As you observed, there are no air strikes, so we have neutralized several defensive key positions. In terms of territory, the battlefield right now constitutes 10 per cent of Marawi, specifically in four barangays (districts)," adding that snipers remain a problem.
He said skirmishes were still happening near three bridges that government forces had secured.