Filipino authorities arrest 9 women ‘suicide bombers’

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Three daughters of a militant group leader killed last year were among those held. (Supplied)
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The women were captured in raids by Philippine secrity forces on houses in three towns in the predominantly Muslim province of Sulu. (AFP file photo)
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Updated 24 February 2021
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Filipino authorities arrest 9 women ‘suicide bombers’

  • The women were captured in raids on houses in three towns in the predominantly Muslim province of Sulu

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.


India announces successful hypersonic missile test

Updated 17 November 2024
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India announces successful hypersonic missile test

  • Defense ministry says missile designed to carry payloads over distances greater than 1,500 km
  • Other countries known to have hypersonic missile capabilities are the US, China and Russia

NEW DELHI: India has test-fired its first long-range hypersonic missile, the Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday, marking the country’s entry into a small group of nations known to possess such weapons programs.

The Defense Research and Development Organization — an agency under the Ministry of Defense — conducted the test on Saturday night on Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha.

The missile, designed to carry payloads over 1,500 km, was “indigenously developed by the laboratories of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile complex, Hyderabad along with various other DRDO laboratories and industry partners,” the ministry said in a statement Sunday.

“The flight data obtained from down range ship stations confirmed the successful terminal maneuvers and impact with high degree of accuracy.”

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh took to social media to say the test was a “historic moment” that has put India country in the “group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies.”

Hypersonic missiles can travel at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound, or 6,115 km per hour — much faster than other ballistic and cruise missiles, making them more difficult to track than traditional missile technology.

The other countries known to have such capabilities are the US, China, and Russia.

Defense expert Ranjit Kumar told Arab News that the successful launch of the hypersonic missile has enhanced the deterrent capabilities of the Indian missile arsenal.

“(The) hypersonic missile will add more teeth to the Indian missile firepower. (The) Indian Armed Forces already possess over 300 km range (supersonic) Brahmos cruise missile and over 5,000 km range Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile, but the latest, over 1,500 km range hypersonic missile will ... give more confidence to the Indian military to be able to hit the target with sure success,” he said.

“At a time when India is surrounded with adversaries possessing long-range ballistic missiles, the latest hypersonic missile will deter them from launching a preemptive strike on Indian locations.”


More than 1.2 million people flee as new super typhoon hits Philippines

Updated 17 November 2024
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More than 1.2 million people flee as new super typhoon hits Philippines

  • Authorities warn of ‘life-threatening’ impact of sixth storm hitting the country in one month
  • Risk of landslides is high, as soil in many affected regions is saturated from previous storms

MANILA: More than 1.2 million people have been evacuated in eight regions of the Philippines as the country braces for the impact of the sixth tropical cyclone to hit in the past month, the Office of Civil Defense said on Sunday.

Super Typhoon Man-yi slammed into the coastal island of Catanduanes in the typhoon-prone Bicol region on Saturday evening, as the national weather agency warned of “potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situations.”

Five other storms — Usagi, Trami, Kong-rey, Yinxing and Toraji — struck the Philippines since late October, killing at least 163 people, displacing millions and causing widespread destruction mainly in the country’s north.

OCD Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said there were no immediate reports of casualties from Man-yi’s impact, but government agencies were on alert as they expected flooding and landslides on Sunday and Monday.

Residents were evacuated in eight regions covering the northwestern, northeastern and central parts of Luzon — the country’s most populous island — as well as the Bicol Peninsula in its southernmost part, the island provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, and Palawan, and parts of the Eastern Visayas, including Samar island.

“We did worst-case planning … In total, 361,079 families cooperated, that means 1.24 million individuals who went to the evacuation centers,” Nepomuceno told Arab News.

“Fortunately, so far no one has been reported injured or killed. But we are not done yet because the storm is heading towards mainland Aurora … then to southern Aurora and northern Quezon, and then the typhoon will cross Central Luzon. It may exit La Union or Pangasinan, so we will look at that whole area.”

He said the main danger at the moment was from landslides as “the soils in the affected areas are already saturated.”

In Catanduanes, which was so far the worst hit, 11 of the island province’s 16 towns sustained major damage.

“Many houses were destroyed … because electric poles were toppled, there is no electricity in almost all of Catanduanes,” Nepomuceno said.

The Philippines is considered the country most at risk from natural disasters, according to the 2024 World Risk Report.

Each year, the Southeast Asian nation experiences around 20 tropical storms and typhoons, impacting millions of people as weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable and extreme due to climate change.

In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, displaced millions and left more than 6,000 people dead or missing in the central Philippines.


India announces successful hypersonic missile test

Updated 17 November 2024
Follow

India announces successful hypersonic missile test

  • Defense ministry says missile designed to carry payloads over distances greater than 1,500 km
  • Other countries known to have hypersonic missile capabilities are the US, China and Russia

NEW DELHI: India has test-fired its first long-range hypersonic missile, the Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday, marking the country’s entry into a small group of nations known to possess such weapons programs.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation — an agency under the Ministry of Defense — conducted the test on Saturday night on Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha.

The missile, designed to carry payloads over 1,500 km, was “indigenously developed by the laboratories of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile complex, Hyderabad along with various other DRDO laboratories and industry partners,” the ministry said in a statement Sunday.

“The flight data obtained from down range ship stations confirmed the successful terminal maneuvers and impact with high degree of accuracy.”

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh took to social media to say the test was a “historic moment” that has put India country in the “group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies.”

Hypersonic missiles can travel at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound, or 6,115 km per hour — much faster than other ballistic and cruise missiles, making them more difficult to track than traditional missile technology.

The other countries known to have such capabilities are the US, China, and Russia.

Defense expert Ranjit Kumar told Arab News that the successful launch of the hypersonic missile has enhanced the deterrent capabilities of the Indian missile arsenal.

“(The) hypersonic missile will add more teeth to the Indian missile firepower. (The) Indian Armed Forces already possess over 300 km range (supersonic) Brahmos cruise missile and over 5,000 km range Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile, but the latest, over 1,500 km range hypersonic missile will ... give more confidence to the Indian military to be able to hit the target with sure success,” he said.

“At a time when India is surrounded with adversaries possessing long-range ballistic missiles, the latest hypersonic missile will deter them from launching a preemptive strike on Indian locations.”


UK plans to sign deals with Turkiye, Iraqi Kurdistan to halt migrants

Updated 17 November 2024
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UK plans to sign deals with Turkiye, Iraqi Kurdistan to halt migrants

  • Top nationalities for small boat crossings to Britain are Afghan, Iranian, Vietnamese, Turkish, Syrian
  • Italy has reduced migrant numbers by 62% after agreements with Libya, Tunisia

London: The UK is set to agree deals with several countries in a bid to prevent thousands of illegal migrants reaching Britain, the Sunday Times reported.

The deals will mirror those signed by Italy with other countries, with money exchanged in return for stopping migrants from setting off.

Those in discussions with the UK include Turkiye and Vietnam, as well as the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. Deals are expected to be signed by the year’s end.

Italy has managed to reduce the number of people crossing to it by 62 percent after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni struck deals with Tunisia and Libya.

Tunisia received patrol boats and €100 million ($105.4 million) to invest in education, energy and companies employed to halt migration, while Libya’s coast guard will be trained and equipped by Rome. The EU has paid Tunisia an additional €105 million.

However, both agreements have been criticized by human rights organizations over the treatment of migrants in Tunisia and Libya by local authorities.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Meloni in September, during which he praised Italy’s “upstream work” in North Africa.

“I have always made the argument that preventing people leaving their country in the first place is far better than trying to deal with those that have arrived,” he said.

The UK has seen continuous increases in the number of people entering the country illegally, with the Labour government pledging to “smash the gangs” running the trade across the English Channel.

By Nov. 11, the total to have made the crossing for 2024 stood at 32,900 people. In 2023, the total number of crossings was 29,437.

According to UK government statistics, the top five nationalities for small boat crossings for the year up to June were Afghan at 5,730 (18 percent of the total), Iranian at 3,844 (13 percent), Vietnamese at 3,031 (10 percent), Turkish at 2,925 (10 percent) and Syrian at 2,849 (9 percent).

A deal signed by the previous UK government and France gave Paris £500 million ($630.9 million) to stop the crossings. The UK also gives Turkiye significant funds to stop migrants reaching Europe.

Last week, Dutch police arrested a Turkish man suspected of being a “major supplier” of small boat equipment in Amsterdam following a joint operation by the UK’s National Crime Agency.

The UK government is keen to strike a deal with Iraqi Kurdistan, from which a number of trafficking gangs operate.

Earlier this year, high-profile trafficker Barzan Majeed, known as The Scorpion, was arrested in Iraq after being tracked down by the BBC in the city of Sulaymaniyah.

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is known to have sent fact-finders to the region to assess the viability of an Italy-style deal.

Any deals are likely to involve funding and training for local security services, as well as potentially including return clauses for migrants who reach the UK.

A source told the Sunday Times: “The assessment made after that trip was that Kurdistani nationals monopolise every part of the journey made by small boat migrants from the procuring of the craft to putting people on the boats on the beaches in France.”


Pope Francis calls for investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute ‘genocide’

Updated 17 November 2024
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Pope Francis calls for investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute ‘genocide’

  • First time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip
  • Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war

ROME: Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year.
It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.
The book, by Hernan Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the Pope, is entitled “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims toward a better world.” It will be released on Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 jubilee. Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa.
“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added.
Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war and set off a firestorm by using words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: “terrorism” and, according to the Palestinians, “genocide.”
Francis spoke at the time about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians after his meetings, which were arranged before the Israeli-Hamas hostage deal and a temporary halt in fighting was announced.
The pontiff, who last week also met with a delegation of Israeli hostages who were released and their families pressing the campaign to bring the remaining captives home had editorial control over the upcoming book.
The war started when the militant Hamas group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 as hostages and taking them back to Gaza, where dozens still remain.
Israel’s subsequent yearlong military campaign has killed more than 43,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, whose count doesn’t distinguish between civilians and fighters, though they say more than half of the dead are women and children.
The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has triggered several legal cases at international courts in The Hague involving requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
In the new book, Francis also speaks about migration and the problem of integrating migrants in their host countries.
“Faced with this challenge, no country can be left alone and no one can think of addressing the issue in isolation through more restrictive and repressive laws, sometimes approved under the pressure of fear or in search of electoral advantages,” Francis said.
“On the contrary, just as we see that there is a globalization of indifference, we must respond with the globalization of charity and cooperation,” he added. Francis also mentioned the “still open wound of the war in Ukraine has led thousands of people to abandon their homes, especially during the first months of the conflict.”