Indonesian suicide bomber nabbed in Jolo

2 other female suspects fall

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — An Indonesian woman suspected of planning a suicide bomb attack was arrested, along with two female Abu Sayyaf members, in a raid of their hideout in Jolo, Sulu after midnight yesterday, security officials said.

Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS), identified the suspects as Indonesian Rezky Fantasya Rullie, alias Cici; Nur-Aina Alihasan, alias Inda Nhur, wife of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Ben Quirino Yadah, alias Ben Tatoo; and Fatima Sandra Jimlani, wife of Abu Sayyaf member Jahid Jam.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said a vest fitted with explosives was seized by combined operatives of the military and police who raided the house of Yadah in Sitio Kuppong, Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo at 1:50 a.m.

Vinluan said the operation was covered by a search warrant and that the suspects were being detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) while appropriate charges are being prepared against them.

Their arrest came less than two months after two female suicide bombers blew themselves up on Jolo island, killing 15 people and wounding 74 others last Aug. 24.

In a statement, the JTFS said Rullie is the widow of Indonesian militant Andi Baso, also known as Amin Baso, who was killed in an encounter with the military in Patikul, Sulu last Aug. 29.

“We have been pursuing foreign terrorist suicide bombers in Sulu after the twin bombing of Jolo town (on Aug. 24),” Gonzales said. “Rullie was first on our list since we have received intelligence reports that she is going to conduct suicide bombing after the death of her husband, Andi Baso.”

In a later report released by the Philippine Army, the Indonesian woman was said to be pregnant and identified her other name, Nana Isirani.

The report reaching Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said she was committed to carrying out the suicide bombing after giving birth to her child with Baso.

The JTFS said Rullie is also believed to be the daughter of two suicide bombers who killed 22 people in an attack on the Catholic Jolo Cathedral on Jan. 27, 2019, said Gonzales.

In its report, the JTFS described the vest seized from the suspects yesterday as being fitted with two pipe bombs and other improvised explosive device components.

Suicide attacks were once very rare in the Philippines, but since July 2018 there have been at least five such bombings blamed on the Abu Sayyaf and its affiliate, Dawlah Islamiya – which originated from the radical Islamist Maute group.

Gonzales said the arrest of Rullie and her two alleged cohorts can be considered a serving of justice for the Filipino people and residents of Sulu.

Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Mudzrimar Sawadjaan, alias Mundi, who masterminded the Jolo suicide bombings, had planned to slip out of Jolo with Rullie and Baso to carry out another attack in the Zamboanga peninsula.

Gonzales said they have been relentlessly pursuing Sawadjaan who is still believed to be hiding in the mountains of Sulu with some foreign terrorists.

Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said this pursuit has since led to the killing of five Abu Sayaff subleaders, including bomb-makers Samir Nani and Arsibar Sadjwaan.

“Given the relentless, focused military operations conducted under the direction of AFP chief Gen. Gilbert Gapay… the forces of this Dawlah Islamiya-affiliated group have been seriously degraded,” Arevalo said.

Meanwhile, Vinluan hailed Rullie’s arrest as a big blow to the Abu Sayyaf and effectively thwarted another deadly attack.

“Rest assured that Team WestMinCom will continue to keep guard as we sustain the conduct of combat, intelligence and civil-military operations to ensure peace and security in the region,” he said.

Arevalo encouraged civilians to be vigilant and report any suspicious individuals in their localities.

Listed by the United States as a terrorist organization, the Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of Islamist militants blamed for the Philippines’ worst terror attacks and kidnappings of foreign tourists and Christian missionaries.  – Romina Cabrera