Filipina terrorist designated by US, sanctioned by UN nabbed
She's also linked to a now-deceased regional Daesh leader.
MANILA: A Filipina alleged terror finance facilitator designated as a terrorist by the US and UN and linked to a now-deceased Islamic State Southeast Asia leader was arrested on Wednesday (Feb. 15), said the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).
The ATC, in a statement, lauded the arrest of Myrna A. Mabanza, 32, a United States specially designated global terrorist and included in the United Nations Security Council’s Islamic State or Daesh and al-Qaeda sanctions list.
“Mabanza was arrested in Brgy. (village) Pasil, Indanan, Sulu [province] on February 15, 2024 in a law enforcement operation conducted by joint elements from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and Anti-Money Laundering Council, and supported by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission through the service of warrants of arrest,” said the ATC.
“Mabanza has standing arrest warrants for five counts of violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 10168 (The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012) and RA No. 11479 (The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020) under Criminal Case Numbers 53502, 53503, 53504, 53506, and 53507, all issued on December 20, 2023 in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur with no bail recommended.”
Mabanza, according to the ATC, was involved in the transfer of funds with the region’s Islamic State leader and emir of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the late Isnilon Hapilon, and served as an intermediary between Hapilon and Daesh elements in Syria.
She is the widow of a Malaysian terrorist who was believed to have influenced her into terrorism, according to the Philippine News Agency; and was a teacher, a 2018 report by BenarNews said.
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She also helped facilitate the travel of a representative of Indonesia’s Daesh-linked terrorist group, the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), from the nation to the Philippines to purchase arms and to set up training courses for pro-Daesh Indonesian recruits with local terrorist groups on firearms use and basic bomb-making, added the body.
“Mabanza’s arrest marks another positive note for the Philippines’ whole-of-nation campaign to address terrorism and terrorism financing that will reflect well to contribute in the country’s unyielding efforts to get out of the Financial Action Task Force’s Grey List,” said the ATC.
“The ATC commends the efforts of the offices and units involved in this successful operation on the arrest of Mabanza.”
The ASG was tagged in several suicide bombings in Sulu including by a married Indonesian couple who was affiliated with JAD.
The ASG along with the Maute Group also laid siege to Lanao del Sur’s provincial capital city of Marawi in 2017, which saw 1,200 people, mostly militants, killed.
The pro-Daesh Maute Group is now the subject of a manhunt by the Philippine Army after they bombed a Catholic Mass inside a gym at Mindanao State University in Marawi City last December, killing four people and injuring dozens of others.