Two Daesh groups tagged in Mindanao bus bombing
Because the bombs found in the bus are similar to those in previous attacks by the groups.
SULTAN KUDARAT: Two pro-Daesh terror groups have reportedly been tagged as allegedly responsible for Monday's (Apr 17) bus bombing in the southern Philippines which injured seven people.
Security forces are now tracking members of the Daulah Islamiyah - Maute Group and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) terror group, who they believe were the perpetrators of the bombing in Isulan municipality, Sultan Kudarat province, where the explosive devices found were identical to those previously used by both groups.
“Cases will be filed against the culprits once identified. Our intelligence units and counterparts in the Philippine Army are now working together on that,” BusinessWorld reported Police Regional Office-12 Director Jimili L. Macaraeg as saying Tuesday (Apr 18).
Army and police ordnance experts said the improvised bomb that exploded and a smaller one found in the bus were the same as those used by the two groups in recent bombings of buses and shops in central Mindanao after owners had refused to pay monthly “protection money”.
“Intelligence reports indicate that the bombing was intended to avenge the deaths of 17 leaders of both groups in clashes with pursuing military and police officers in central Mindanao since January 2022,” reported BusinessWorld.
“Among those killed were Abdulkareem Lumbatan Hashim and the longtime fugitive Danny Cabakungan, known by their aliases Jacket and Magnetic, respectively.
“The two were tagged in high-profile crimes, including multiple murder, cattle theft, possession of high-powered firearms and home-made bombs, extortion and drug trafficking.”
The bombing of the Husky Tours bus was also a desperate attempt to make an impression that the surrender of 236 Maute Group and BIFF members to the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and Police Region 12 in recent months has not weakened the groups’ capability to perpetrate terror attacks, according to local officials of the neighbouring Maguindanao provinces, said the report further.
The number of injured passengers has gone up to seven from an initial report of four, Macaraeg said. All victims were seated close to each other on the first level of the double-decker bus.