A RENEWED American offensive against the Islamic State in the Middle East could lead to a transfer of some of the terrorist organization’s operations to Southern Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday.
“If [US President Donald] Trump decides to invade Middle East and if the ISIS loses its land base there, they will start to scatter around the world. Their favorite target would be the southern part of the Philippines,” Duterte said, citing intelligence reports.
During the campaign, Trump vowed “to crush and destroy ISIS.”
US forces were working in the last three months to liberate Mosul in Iraq, considered as the last stronghold of the terrorist group. Reports, however, claim that the jihadist group are scouting locations in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines where they have a considerable number of followers.
If this happens, Duterte said, he would launch a war similar to that declared by ousted President Joseph Estrada on the Abu Sayyaf.
“It’s gonna be bloody,” Duterte said.
Duterte on Tuesday confirmed the presence of Arab jihadists in the country linked with the terrorist Islamic State, teaching extremism in the war-torn Mindanao.
Foreign jihadists were reportedly killed by security forces following hot pursuit operations in the recent months.
Just recently, security officials said the homegrown terrorist groups had been uniting and evolving into just one group called Dawlatul Islamiyah Waliyatul Masrik or DIWM, and had chosen Isnilon Hapilon of the Abu Sayyaf as their sole leader in their aggressive efforts to be recognized by the ISIS.
In the UK, a British supermarket worker was convicted Thursday of preparing to fight with Philippine jihadists Abu Sayyaf.
Ryan Counsell, 28, was found guilty of preparing for acts of terrorism, notably having a bomb-making manual and buying various military-style clothes and equipment.
Counsell had booked to fly on July 13 last year to the southern Philippine port of Zamboanga, the closest city to Basilan island, a stronghold of Abu Sayyaf, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Abu Sayyaf is listed as a banned terrorist group in Britain, the jury at Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London heard.
He had bought military equipment to “engage in combat or support an extremist group,” the court was told.
Jurors heard how Counsell had spent almost £900 ($1,130; 1,050 euros) on “heavy-duty, military-style boots, combat trousers, camouflage clothing, knee and elbow pads, a monocular scope, rifle magazine pouches and a cheek pad to be attached to the stock of a rifle.”
He had a bomb-making manual and documents providing “practical advice for someone wanting to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.”
Police in Basilan said they believed the Abu Sayyaf was behind a grenade explosion that cause minor damage to the district hospital in nearby Lamitan City.
Agents from Joint Task Force Sulu recently arrested two of Abu Sayyaf’s members and recovered assorted weapons and other war materials Thursday afternoon.
The ASG members were arrested by troopers from the 32nd Infantry Battalion.
Seized from the two were two fragmentation grenades, an M-16 automatic rifle with five short magazines and 20 pieces of 5.56mm ball ammunition, .30 caliber Browning automatic rifle with five magazines, two bandoleers, one backpack, one pair of combat boots, assorted battle dress uniforms and personal belongings and documents with high intelligence value. With PNA