MANILA, Philippines — The alleged accomplice in the bombing at Mindanao State University in Marawi City was arrested by government forces on Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said.
Jafar Gamo Sultan, also known by his alias “Kurot” and “Jaf,” has been apprehended by the AFP-led Task Force Marawi and Marawi City Police in Barangay Dulay Proper.
“The suspect, who was apprehended in an operation in Brgy Dulay Proper in Marawi, is a companion of a certain Omar, the person identified by witnesses to have placed the improvised explosive device at the Dimaporo Gymnasium,” the AFP said in a statement.
The jihadist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the MSU bombing on December 3 at Dimaporo Gym during a Catholic mass, which resulted in four fatalities and 45 injuries.
Sultan is reportedly identified as the alleged accomplice in the incident. The AFP, however, did not specify the particular role or action attributed to him.
The Moro National Liberation Front, Imams and peace advocates in Mindanao condemned the said attack.
On Wednesday, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said that the suspects were members of the Maute group under the command of Dawlah Islamiyah.
The two suspects were identified by the PNP as Kadapi Mimbesa also known as “Engineer” and Arsani Membisa alias “Lapitos.”
The authorities believe that the detonating device utilized was the cellular phone used by “Engineer”.
In 2017, militants linked to the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups, pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, launched a siege on Marawi. The conflict involved local and foreign fighters, resulting in over a thousand casualties. — with reports from Agence France Presse, Mark Villeza, Jose Rodel Clapano, and John Unson.
Credit to Philstar