One of four BIFF members killed in Maguindanao clash likely a foreign terrorist

Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (Photo courtesy of the Institute for the Study of Violent Groups; www.isvg.org)

MANILA — There is a huge possibility that the foreign-looking individual, killed during a clash with Marine units in Shariff Saydona, Maguindanao Saturday, was a member of a international terrorist group.

“He is about 5 feet and eight inches tall, fair complexion and has a similarity (to one) listed international terrorist,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Joselito Kakilala said during a briefing Tuesday.

Kakilala said that the suspected foreigner, one of the four Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) members killed during Saturday’s clash seemed “South Asian looking.”

“The SOCO (scene of the crime operatives) is right now conducting [the] medico legal for the DNA [test], it’s up to SOCO to determine the identity of foreign-looking [individual],” he said.

Kakilala said that there was a possibility that the foreign-looking individual could be a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group but said that this was still being validated.

The body of the latter and the three others killed are still at the mortuary of the 6th Infantry Division in Camp Siongco, Awang town, Maguindanao.

As of this posting, the bodies remained unclaimed, Kakilala said.

And as for the four BIFF men captured during the Maguindanao operations last Friday, these individuals had been transferred to the custody of the Philippine National Police.

Kakilala also said that the offensive against the BIFF has been extended against for another three days to ensure that the brigands are totally decimated in Maguindanao.

This period started this Tuesday, he added.

“Commander of the 6th Infantry Division will be one to make operational assessment (if there) is a need for a continue military operation,” the AFP spokesperson said.