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MANILA: Filipino authorities have arrested nine women reportedly being groomed as suicide bombers with some belonging to the family of Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, a Daesh-affiliated militant group leader killed in November, the country’s military announced on Tuesday.
The arrests were made during a series of raids in the southern province of Sulu on Friday, said Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom).
“Our troops, together with our partners from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and intelligence units, conducted a simultaneous implementation of search warrants in Jolo, Indanan, and Patikul, all of Sulu, at early dawn on Friday.
“This led to the apprehension of nine female potential suicide bombers who are related to some of the notorious leaders and members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG),” he added.
Meanwhile, Joint Task Force-Sulu public affairs officer, Lt. Jerrica Angela Manongdo, told Arab News that the raids were conducted simultaneously before dawn “to prevent the suspects from having the chance to coordinate with each other.”
She said: “The suspects were just in their house, but upon search by the authorities, they discovered bomb components. The raids were simultaneously implemented so the women could not cooperate with each other.”
Seven of the suspects were arrested in the villages of Bangkal and Latih in Patikul town, with three identified as the daughters of Sawadjaan. They were named as Elena Tasum Sawadjaan-Abun (the widow of an ASG sub-leader), 40, Isara Jalmaani Abduhajan, 36, and Jedah Abduhajan-Amin, 28.
The others being held were identified as Sawadjaan’s sister Linda Darun Maruji alias Appuh Yayang, 66, Risa Jalil, the wife of one of Sawadjaan’s nephews, Firdauzia Said alias Firdausia Salvin, the widow of ASG sub-leader Mannul Said, Sharifa Rajani also known as Indah Wida, and Indah Widz, the wife of another ASG member who had also worked under Sawadjaan.
The remainder, arrested in Tulay village, Jolo, were Nudzha Ismani Aslun, also known as Nudz and Akih, 26, the widow of an ASG member, and Nurshahada Isnain alias Dah, 19, the wife of a trusted aide of Mundi Sawadjaan, the reported mastermind of the recent suicide bombings in Sulu.
Officials said another raid was carried out in the town of Indanan, but “the target managed to elude arrest.”
Among items seized from the suspects were bomb components, including push-button switches, small batteries with a snap, blasting caps, suspected ammonium nitrate oil fuel or ANFO, a hand grenade, several identification cards, and a rough sketch of their terror plan.
The women are facing charges of illegal possession of explosives.
Vinluan said that those arrested had been on Wesmincom’s radar as a result of information provided by ASG sub-leaders who had surrendered to the authorities.
“We were tipped off ... that IEDs (improvised explosive devices) were being assembled in the house of the suspects. There were at least three or four houses. Once the IEDs are ready, that’s when the women get indoctrinated to prepare them to conduct suicide bombings.
“The widows and wives are being used because they (ASG) are having a hard time recruiting. It is also harder to detect female suicide bombers, so they use that. We have been monitoring them. The IEDs are with them, so it’s possible they are slowly being oriented,” the commander added.
Joint Task Force-Sulu Commander Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, said: “This is how desperate the remaining terrorists are, willing to sacrifice their families just to get back at government forces.”
He added that Filipino security forces would “exhaust all ... options to put an end to terrorism” in the south.
“May this serve as a clear message to the supporters and remaining members of the Abu Sayyaf Group. We are always ready to welcome those who wish to return to the folds of the law, but if you refuse to do so, we will surely hunt you down and prevent you from inflicting havoc in the communities,” Gonzales said.
Manongdo pointed out that officials were making “headway” in defeating terrorism.
“Remember Operation Perfect Storm operations on Nov. 3, 2020? One of those who died was Mannul, the projected (successor of Hajan) emir (Daesh Philippines). He died in an interdiction operation (at midsea), so his wife, typical of ASG wives, when their husband dies she will take revenge,” she said.
“Because of their extremist ideology, they are willing to do suicide bombings just like in the case of Cici,” she added, referring in part to Indonesian Rezky Fantasya Rullie, the widow of an Indonesian terrorist killed in Jolo. Known as Cici, she was arrested in October.
“If these kinds of acts continue, it will be unfair for the people of Sulu, which is now generally peaceful. Because even if there’s just one incident of bombing, this will affect the image of the military and the province. All other people here except the few terrorists are making efforts to secure the province,” Manongdo said.
The Philippines’ military confirmed in November the death of Sawadjaan who was on the US’ list of global terrorists and named as the mastermind behind the deadly 2019 cathedral bombing which left 23 people dead and 109 injured.
The ASG is a militant group notorious for kidnappings and its pledged allegiance to Daesh. Sulu province, in the country’s Mindanao region, is a known stronghold of the group.