Ex-MILF official: Khilafa Islamiyah does not exist

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Khilafa Islamiyah Mindanao, the group tagged behind the July 26 bombing at the Limketkai Mall in Cagayan de Oro City does not exist, according to Eid Kabalu, the former spokesman of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Kabalu said Khilafa means “vicegerent of God” and that some may just be reviving this concept although the group does not exist.

He said the name of the prime suspect in the Cagayan de Oro bombing, Usman Hapids, may not be a name of a person as he noted that Hapids is a term that means “someone well-versed in the Koran.”

The former MILF official said some people might be exploiting the situation and wanted to propagate a new group to mislead the public.

He confirmed the existence of a certain Usman, whom authorities found out to be connected with the al-Qaeda. He said Usman was captured previously but had escaped.

“Usman may have companions in other groups. There is suspicion that he has linkages with Jemaah Islamiyah,” Kabalu.

“It’s logical he has companions because he is popular, being hunted by the authorities,” he said.

A joint team of the Armed Forces, Philippine National Police and the MILF was recently dispatched to the borders of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao to verify the presence of foreign jihadists. The team found nothing.