ISIS woman captured in the Philippines

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Security forces captured Thursday a Filipino woman wanted by the United States and the United Nations for her links to the Islamic State (IS) also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and its local counterpart, the Dawlah Islamiya or ISIS-Philippines in the southern province of Sulu, officials said.

Officials said Myrna Ajijul Mabanza was tracked down by operatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, including the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission in her hideout in Pasil in the town of Indanan.

 

Mabanza is the 32-year old widow of Malaysian terrorist Muhammad Najib bin Hussien alias Abu Anas, a fighter of the Islamic State who introduced IS and brougt foreign fighters in the Southern Philippines, according to Brigadier General Allan Nobleza, the regional police commander.

 

He said Mabanza is on top of the regional police list of most wanted persons in South and is facing a string of criminal charges, including violation of Republic Act No. 10168 otherwise known as The Terrorism Financing Prevention Act of 2012.

 

“She was declared by the United States as a specially designated global terrorist along with ISIL founder Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, and DI-ASG and Emir of IS-Philippines Isnilon Hapilon. In 2016, she served as an intermediary between Hapilon and ISIL elements in the Syrian Arab Republic,”Nobleza said.

 

Hapilon was killed on Oct. 16, 2017 during the battle of Marawi that started in May of the same year. 

 

“The PNP personnel in the Bangsamoro region are determined to bring those criminals and terrorist groups to the bar and be held accountable for their crimes. I also encourage the public to help the PNP and other law enforcement agencies in BARMM to help in the peace and development efforts of the government authorities,” Nobleza said.

 

In April 30, 2018, The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) was named as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of ISIS-Philippines.

“Mabanza has facilitated substantial financial activity on behalf of senior ISIS-Philippines leadership and has been an intermediary between extremist groups in Southeast Asia that are recruiting, training, and deploying radical terrorists,” said Sigal Mandelker, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.  “The United States continues to map and disrupt ISIS financing networks in Southeast Asia and is resolved to cut their access to the international financial system.”

On February 28, 2018, the U.S. Department of State designated ISIS-Philippines as a Foreign Terrorist Organization pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and as an SDGT pursuant to E.O. 13224. 

In January 2016, Mabanza was involved in the transfer of up to $107,000 with then-ISIS-P leader Isnilon Hapilon. He also instructed Mabanza to deliver money to an ISIS-Philippines member.  

In February 2016, Mabanza served as an intermediary between Hapilon and ISIS elements in Syria.  In March 2016, Mabanza coordinated another transfer of funds with Hapilon.  Also in March 2016, a senior ISIS official in Syria planned to send financial support to ISIS-Philippines through Mabanza. 

In April 2016, Mabanza helped facilitate the travel of a Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) representative who traveled from Indonesia to the Philippines.  Mabanza accompanied the JAD representative to Basilan, Philippines to meet Hapilon.  

The JAD representative traveled to the Philippines to purchase arms for ISIS-aligned forces in Indonesia and to set up training courses for pro-ISIS recruits from Indonesia with ISIS-Philippines.  After Hapilon agreed to the plan, the recruits from Indonesia who eventually attended the terrorist training camps were trained in firearm use and basic bomb-making.

On January 10, 2017, the U.S. Department of State designated JAD as an SDGT pursuant to E.O. 13224.  JAD is a terrorist group based in Indonesia that was formed in 2015 and is composed of almost two dozen Indonesian extremist groups that had pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) also listed Mabanza on June 18, 2018 for her association with ISIL and for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” and “supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material to” Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, listed as Al-Qaida in Iraq.

It said Mabanza acted for or on behalf of and assists in, sponsors, or provides financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of ISIL.

In February 2016, Mabanza served as an intermediary for an individual who wanted to provide funding to ISIL’s network in the Philippines on behalf of ISIL. In April 2016, Mabanza helped facilitate travel for and accompanied a representative of an undesignated armed group to Basilan to meet Hapilon and another individual. 

“The armed group representative travelled to the Philippines to purchase arms for ISIL-aligned forces in Indonesia and to set up training courses for pro-ISIL recruits from Indonesia with ISIL’s network in the Philippines. After Isnilon Totoni Hapilon agreed to the plan, the recruits from Indonesia who eventually attended the terrorist training camps were trained in firearm use and basic bomb-making instructions,” the UNSC said.

It added that in March 2016, a senior ISIL official in the Syrian Arab Republic planned to send financial support to ISIL’s network in the-Philippines through Mabanza. She coordinated the transfer of funds with Hapilon. In February 2016, Mabanza served as an intermediary between Hapilon and ISIL elements in the Syrian Arab Republic. 

In January 2016, Mabanza coordinated the transfer of approximately $7000 with Hapilon. Additionally, Mabanza was instructed by Hapilon to deliver money to a member of ISIL’s network in the Philippines. In January 2016, Mabanza coordinated the transfer of up to $100,000 with Hapilon. 

Philippine authorities did not provide further details on Mabanza, but said she is now under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police in Zamboanga City. (Mindanao Examiner)