Indonesia police shoot dead two militants linked to Jolo church bombing
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Two Indonesian militants linked to a 2019 church blast in the Philippines have been shot dead by police, authorities said Wednesday, as officers arrested scores of pro-Islamic State radicals.
The shootings came as Indonesia's counter-terrorism squad, Densus 88, raided a hideout of extremist group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) in Sulawesi island's Makassar city, they said.
Two suspects were gunned down when they "resisted arrest" and attacked officers, police said, adding that a third suspect suffered gunshot injuries and was being treated in hospital.
Another 17 militants were detained.
Later Wednesday, police said the two dead suspects were involved in financing the Philippines' worst terror attack in years, which killed 21 and injured scores more in 2019.
"The two were involved in transferring money to the bombers of the church in Jolo, Philippines," national police spokesman Ahmad Ramadhan told reporters, without elaborating.
In early 2019, two explosions ripped through a Catholic church on the Philippines' Muslim-majority island of Jolo, killing worshippers at Sunday mass and security forces — raising fears about growing links between militants in Southeast Asia.
IS claimed responsibility for the cathedral blast, saying two suicide bombers detonated explosive belts.
The pair were later identified as an Indonesian militant and his wife.
The Jolo attack was carried out days after voters approved expanding Muslim self-rule in the south aimed at ending a decades-old rebellion for independence or autonomy for the sizeable Islamic minority of the mainly Catholic Philippines.
On Wednesday, police in Muslim-majority Indonesia said the two men shot by authorities were members of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), a local terror network which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and its violent ideology.
Members of JAD staged a wave of suicide bombings at churches in Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya in 2018, killing a dozen congregants.
Two explosions hit a cathedral in Jolo, Sulu as mass was about to start at around 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, January 27.
The first bomb exploded inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Western Mindanao Command says. A few seconds later, another blast happened in the cathedral's parking area, where an improvised explosive device was placed inside the utility box of a motorcycle.
Westmincom says in its initial report that 17 were killed, including five responding soldiers, while 57 were wounded.
Five suspects in the Jolo cathedral bombings, including Kammah "Kamah" Pae, have surrendered to authorities, the Philippine National Police announces.
Director General Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief, says on DZMM TeleRadyo that the suspects were forced to surrender because of the massive operations to catch them.
He says Kamah initially surrendered to the Philippine Army, and was turned over to the PNP. The others soon followed suit and surrendered to the Special Investigation Task Group formed to probe the bombings, which killed 22 people and injured dozens more.
Four persons of interest in the Jolo cathedral bombing have surrendered to authorities today to clear their names, Westmincom says.
Two personalities caught on a CCTV camera footage who were believed to be the suspects surrendered to police to clear their identity. Alshaber Arbi, 18, a Grade 11 student of Kalingalan Caluang National High School, and Gerry Isnajil, a teacher of the same school, submitted themselves to police at 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 30.
Meanwhile, Alsimar Mohammad Albi, 24, and a minor companion went to the Sulu police provincial office at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The two said they went to a pharmacy to buy medicine for Alsimar’s mother who is confined at IPHO-Sulu. It was after they bought the medicine when the blast occurred.
"The two said that they are not familiar with the identities of the suspects and their purpose of coming out is to clear their names fearing that authorities will hunt them down," Westmincom says.
The Westmincom releases the latest death toll on the Jolo cathedral blast.
As of 6:25 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29, it says they recorded 21 deaths (14 civilians, six soldiers and one Coast Guard personnel) and 100 wounded (84 civilians, 14 soldiers and two Coast Guard personnel).
The following are the names of the killed victims of the Sulu blast:
Armed Forces of the Philippines
- Sergeant Mark Des P. Simbre (Inf) PA- from San Isidro, Isabela
- Corporal John B. Mangawit, Jr. (Inf) PA- from Kalinga
- Corporal Minard Jann P. Ocier (Inf) PA- from Barangay Managok, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
- Private First Class Alizon L. Ayoman (Inf) PA- from Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte
- Private Hernan U. Bulaybulay (Inf) PA- from Pagadian City
- Private Leomar P. Degumbis(Inf) PA- from Iligan City
Philippine Coast Guard
- SN2 Jaypee M. Galicha PCG
Civilians
- Mr. Leo Herbolario
- Ms. Bibing Perpetua
- Mr. Reynaldo Pescadera, Sr.
- Mr. Ridzmar Mukadil
- Mr. Romolo B. Reyes
- Ms. Albacora Perpetua
- Ms. Niseria Dela Cruz
- Ms. Cecilia Sanchez
- Ms. Daisy P. Delos Reyes
- Ms. Dolores S. Tan
- Ms. Fe Non
- Ms. Juliet Jaime
- Ms. Leah Angelica Reyes
- Ms. Chenly Rubio
France says it "utterly condemns" the bombings at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday.
"France utterly condemns the attack against the cathedral in Jolo Island last January 27... France extends its condolences to the victims' families, as well as to the Filipino people. It stands alongside the Philippines in the fight against terrorism." #Jolo #Sulu #Philippines pic.twitter.com/DsQyHlwMZc
— France in the PH (@FrenchEmbassyPH) January 29, 2019
"France extends its condolences to the victims' families, as well as to the Filipino people. It stands alongside the Philippines in the fight against terrorism," the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs says in a statement posted on its social media accounts.
In response to the Jolo bombing, AFP Central Command—the military area command for the Visayas— is undertaking measures to prevent any form of terror attacks in the region, The Freeman reports from Cebu.
Meanwhile, Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma directed police to secure churches that usually draw larger crowds.
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