Furuji Indama releases terror even in hiding

AFTERNOON. An endless scene in Basilan, where another explosion killed 11 people on July 31, 2018. Photo by Richard Falcatan / Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The driver of the white van seemed uncomfortable when he was shot at the break of sunrise, Tuesday, July 31, at a checkpoint just outside the town of Lamitan.

On alert following an attack planned by Abu Sayyaf, one of the checkpoint militia relayed a Scout Ranger unit to a nearby detachment.

But it was too late. The van exploded.

"The Cafgu [members] was looking for help on what to do.They were talking." Apparently, he exploded while they were talking on the phone, "said Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, Chief Western Mindanao Command in Rappler in a telephone interview on Tuesday after his visit to Basilan. Cafgu refers to the Geographical Unit of the Civil Armed Forces, a group of counter-insurgency militias that has been trained and funded by the military for decades.

It is not known what the militia saw and reported to the Ranger Scout Detachment declared everything that triggered the alert, or how much IED he had with him in the vehicle.

All the witnesses at the checkpoint were killed in the explosion, including the driver, as well as the women and children of the militia who were

Partner close to Hapilon [19659006] The Army said the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) led by the notorious leader Furuji Indama is behind the attack.

Even in hiding, the associate close to killed the emir of the Islamic State (ISIS) Isnilon Hapilon unleashed terror in a province that had long ago declared that it was winning the war against the group of bandits.

Basilan Governor Jim Hataman said that Abu Sayyaf has long been defeated in the province, where communities have served as models of local cooperation against extremism.

But the deadly explosion underscores the uniqueness of Abu Sayyaf's problem.

"Ang Abu Sayyaf is a kakaibang kumpara character of her MILF or MNLF Ang Abu Sayyaf mayroon technology itong for matutong gumawa ng bomba kahit mag-isang tao lang siya Hindi kagaya ng MILF at MNLF na kailangan ng marami bago makagawa ng bomba Ang point ko is: hindi dahil nakagawa ng activity, lumakas sila, " Hataman tells Rappler.

(The Abu Sayyaf is of a different character, compared to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The Abu Sayyaf has technology that allows individual members to assemble a the MILF and the MNLF, which require a lot of people to assemble one.) My point is: the group's ability to launch an attack does not mean that they get stronger.)

Hataman said that it is also harder to locate and hunt down a much smaller group. There are reports Indama has left Basilan, but Hataman believes that he is hiding in the thick forests of the province.

The apogee of Furuji Indama

Indama is a notorious bandit who was once close to Hapilon.

He is considered one of the ajang-ajang the so-called "sons of the martyrs," whose fathers or uncles died in battles with the military.

Governor Hataman stated that Indama volunteered to join Abu Sayyaf, showing a level of engagement different from that of most recruits

Indama was responsible for l & # 39; April 2016 attack that killed 22 soldiers in Lamitan.

Indama could at any time bring war to any city of Basilan

"Dati kapag sinabi niyang", Giyerahin ko ang Lamitan city. Kapag puntahan mo sa lugar isang, nandiyan yan, naghihintay his iyo, makikipaglaban talaga siya, " says Hataman.

(In the past, when he declared, 'I make war on Lamitan's, he can If you dare to go to him, he will wait for you and you will fight himself, "says Hataman.

At the height of his notoriety, no government project could be implemented if Indama The governor said: "Minsan nga niyan kapag birthday ng mayor, sasabihin niya," kapag hindi ka magbigay, paputukan ka namin. "ganoon" yung level ng activity nila dati ngayon, wala na & # 39; Wala nang ganoon, " says Hataman.

(There were times when even during the birthday of a mayor, he would say," If you do not pay us, we will do strafe your place. "This was the level of his activity before, do it nowadays.)

Hataman said he reduced Indama to the shadow of his old identity, and communities are no longer willing to give it shelter.

The governor is counting on the mechanisms in place in his province to protect these gains.

" Sinuwerte lang sila ngayon.Hope the Hindi sila suwertehin nang dalawang be ," said Hataman. (They were just lucky Let's hope they do not) will have more luck.)

First suicide bombing in PH.

Secretary of Defense Delfin Lorenzana said that the explosion was a case of "suicide bombing. "(READ: Basilan's explosion" looks like a suicide bombing "- Lorenzana)

Supposed witnesses described the driver of the van as someone who looked like a stranger and who did not speak the local language

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Lieutenant-General Arnel dela Vega, commander of Mindanao's West Command, said that according to intelligence reports, improvised explosive devices needed to be transported This prompted the army to strengthen its checkpoints in key areas of Basilan on Tuesday.

Hataman said the target of Abu Sayyaf could have been the parade into the planned city Tuesday morning In celebration of Nutrition Month, he praised the "vigilance of detachment."

"If the goal was to bring it there, then it would have been more damaging and worse than what happened," said Hataman

Weakness or strength?

Foreigners are wary of the continued presence of foreign fighters in the province from where Hapilon – the emir of the IS that triggered the siege of Marawi in the center of Mindanao last year. (Hapilon was killed in October 2017).

While the ASG mainly turned rebels into kidnappers, the Basilian faction has abandoned crime in recent years and relied on foreign terrorist network funding

. poses an even greater challenge to a country still struggling to rebuild after Marawi's siege.

"There are few ways to look at it.On the one hand, this could be a sign of weakness." AFP wants to show that she has ASG on the run and that she is resorting to desperate measures, "said Zachary Abuza, security expert in Southeast Asia at the National War College in the United States.

"Another hypothesis would be that if he was a foreign fighter, they might try to show what a real jihadist does to inspire the GAS to step up the violence. Suicide bombings tend to inspire Other attacks, they show the greatest commitment to the cause and the will of martyrdom, "said Abuza.

The ASG in Basilan is known to have hosted foreign fighters who have tried in the past to recruit Local kamikazes

"The way the GAS and the EI are going to turn is certainly a show of force, they have the will and the resources to perpetrate these attacks," said Mr. Abuza .- Rappler.com