A POTENTIAL terror attack in Metro Manila by the Islamic State-inspired Maute group was foiled after authorities arrested a suspect, who is apparently a weapons keeper for the Maute fighters who have established a presence in the Metropolis, an official said Tuesday.
Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa said Nasip Sarip alias Nasip Ibrahim, a member of the Maute group, was collared at his store on Libyan Street inside the Salam Compound in Culiat, Quezon City on Monday.
He said Ibrahim was the man who coddled Jamil Baja Tawil, a member of the Maute group who is facing arrest for illegal possession of firearms.
“The PNP has foiled another sinister attempt by the ISIS-inspired Maute group to launch terrorist activities,” Dela Rosa said.
“I am glad that alert operatives of the NCRPO discovered and intercepted in time an improvised explosive device being prepared by the suspects even before it can be delivered to its possible target or used elsewhere.”
In 2015, reports indicated that a dozen terrorists had entered Metro Manila to launch a series of bomb attacks in public areas.
But the planned attacks were foiled following the arrest of Rayson Kilala or Rashid Kilala, 34, a resident of Barangay Bagumbayan in Bulacan, Bulacan, who was set to set off an improvised explosive device in front of US Embassy last November.
Sarip was arrested after police operatives from the Quezon City Police District moved to arrest Tawil but he was not around.
Sarip refused to say where Tawil was, prompting the policemen to search his house where they found firearms and magazines, an IED and seven sachets of shabu.
“This discovery leads us to believe that the Maute group has already established a presence in Metro Manila, but as to what extent is the subject of our follow-up operations,” Dela Rosa said.
“I urge our people to remain calm yet alert and vigilant.”
Dela Rosa said the terrorists were planning to use IEDs in future bomb attacks to catch the attention of ISIS.
Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office Chief Oscar Albayalde said the IED recovered from Sarip’s house was supposed to be used during the procession of the Black Nazarene and the Miss Universe pageant in Manila last January.
Dela Rosa said Sarip was the driver of a blue Toyota Revo (XKT 424) used by the Maute group to transport an IED from Mindanao to Metro Manila that was laid near the US Embassy in Manila but failed to explode.
It was also Sarip who met with three Luzon-based Maute members to conduct a bomb attack at the US Embassy.