New Moro rebel group emerges

MANILA, Philippines - A radical Muslim cleric trained in the Middle East and considered one of the leaders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) has broken away from the terror group to form his own band of jihadists who are now reportedly providing sanctuary to bomb expert Basit Usman and at least five foreign militants, the military said yesterday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla, citing reports from the field, said the Justice for Islamic Movement (JIM) was organized by Mohamad Ali Tambako after a falling out with BIFF founder Ameril Umbra Kato.

The two reportedly had irreconcilable differences over issues affecting Muslims in Mindanao. It was not clear if the JIM shares the BIFF’s secessionist agenda. BIFF wants to set up an Islamic state governed by strict Sharia laws.

The military is currently on an offensive against the BIFF, a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The offensive, also targeting Abu Sayyaf bandits, has displaced thousands of villagers in Maguindanao.

The MILF, which is negotiating peace with the government, was a splinter group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

“This is a new group,” Padilla said, referring to the JIM. “For now, all we know is that Tambako and his group don’t see to eye to eye with the BIFF.”

The new group reportedly has 70 fighters.

The military spokesman said Tambako was a member of the MNLF before joining the MILF and later helped organize the BIFF.

Government forces overran last Sunday Tambako’s camp in Barangay Dasikil, Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Ground troops earlier described Tambako’s enclave as a BIFF bomb and weapons factory.

Tambako reportedly started organizing JIM way back in 2013, with its first members trained in making bombs and explosive devices.

Padilla said the military now considers JIM as another lawless group and a target of the ongoing offensive in Mindanao.

Through its ongoing offensive, the military also hopes to capture Usman, who eluded arrest by Special Action Force (SAF) commandos during a deadly raid in Mamasapano last Jan.25.

The raiders killed Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, but lost 44 of their own in clashes with MILF and BIFF guerrillas.

“Any individual or group with arms is a serious threat that we have to take action against,” Padilla said.

The military, on the other hand, declined to comment on reports of the existence of another terrorist group, Khalifa Islamiyah Mindanao (KIM), which reportedly has links to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Local and foreign members of the supposed terror group have been seen on several occasions since 2012 in BIFF and MILF camps in Lanao and Maguidanao.