Alleged Dawlah Islamiya terrorist nabbed

MANILA, Philippines — A suspected terrorist believed to be involved in recruiting members in Metro Manila for the Islamic State-inspired Dawlah Islamiya group was apprehended by police in Quezon City on Saturday.

Kevin Madriñan, also known among peers as Ibrahim Abdullah Madriñan and Ibrahim Khalil Al-Garaba, was arrested at the corner of Atherton and Burbank streets in North Fairview.

Madriñan allegedly yielded a .45-caliber pistol, a hand grenade and P3,000 in cash.

Police said Dawlah Islamiya is the IS-affiliated faction of the bandit group Abu Sayyaf led by sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, whose nephew Mundi Sawadjaan is said to be a bombmaker and tagged as one of the suspects in the twin bombings in Jolo, Sulu last month that killed 17 people.

“Background investigation showed that Madrinan is the contact person in Luzon of Dawlah Islamiya members from Maguindanao,” Philippine National Police chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan told reporters.

Madriñan was allegedly responsible for recruiting Balik-Islam converts and arranging their transportation for training and jihad exposure in Mindanao.

Cascolan said Madriñan admitted to being the liaison of the Dawlah group following the arrest of Datu Omar Palte in Quezon City in January.

Last June, four suspected Dawlah Islamiya members were killed in a police raid in Parañaque City.

Cascolan assured the public that the presence of suspected terrorists in Metro Manila was not a cause for alarm, saying state forces have put in place border control measures.