Philippines names 2 members of pro-ISIS group as bomb suspects

MANILA – Philippine police have named two men suspected of being involved in a blast that killed four people during a Catholic Mass in a Muslim-majority city in the south of the country on Dec 3.

Those suspected of orchestrating the attack at the Mindanao State University in Marawi were

members of Daulah-Islamiyah Maute

, a militant group allied with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that took control of the city in 2017 and held it through five months of ground offensives and air strikes by the military.

The suspects are Kadapi Mimbesa, 35, and Arsani Membisa, whose age was not determined, the police said at a news briefing on Dec 6. Both have outstanding arrest warrants for crimes such as murder and kidnapping.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the blast

, saying one of its members detonated the bomb.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr blamed “foreign terrorists” for the explosion.

Brigadier-General Allan Nobleza, the regional police director, said: “We’re going to file appropriate cases against the identified suspects along with other John Does. We are mobilising our resources to make sure the perpetrators are put behind bars.”

The suspects’ known address was in Lanao del Sur province, but they conducted criminal operations in neighbouring Lanao del Norte province too.

Kadapi Mimbesa has a pending warrant of arrest for kidnapping and illegal possession of explosives, with an arrest reward of 600,000 pesos (S$14,500), while Arsani Membisa is wanted for murder, the police said. Another suspect, the lookout, has yet to be identified.

Singapore strongly condemns the bombing, which has resulted in the tragic loss of lives and injuries, the Republic’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Dec 6.

The ministry added: “We extend our condolences to the bereaved families and stand in solidarity with the Philippine government. This heinous attack serves as a stark reminder of the threat that terrorism continues to pose to all countries.” REUTERS