SOUTHEAST ASIA

The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters had occupied the Datu Paglas town market for several hours in Maguindanao in the Southern Philippines, forcing families to flee their homes for safety. Around 100 strong BIFF members were involved in the standoff when they were surrounded by the Philippines security forces. The local government managed to engage the BIFF fighters in a peaceful reslution. The situation in Datu Paglas returned to normal by afternoon without any casualties or damages.

Meanwhile, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) along with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) had arrested eight members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in a special operation in Taman Sri Arjuna Beaufort in the West Coast of Sabah. All eight members were apprehended along with 29 other Philippines citizens. The eight suspects had fled to Sabah to escape the ongoing security operations in the Southern Philippines. Two of them were wanted back in the Philippines for kidnapping and fighting with the Philippines security forces.

EUROPE

A senior Daesh military leader was detained on 28 April in Atasehir in Istanbul, Turkey. The suspect, codenamed Basim, is an Afghan national who was believed to be Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s right-hand man. He had entered Turkey while traveling on a fake passport and false identifications. Basim is suspected to be responsible for hiding key Daesh members in Idlib, Syria and training Daesh members in Iraq and Syria as well as serving on its decision-making council.

EUROPE

A senior Daesh military leader was detained on 28 April in Atasehir in Istanbul, Turkey. The suspect, codenamed Basim, is an Afghan national who was believed to be Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s right-hand man. He had entered Turkey while traveling on a fake passport and false identifications. Basim is suspected to be responsible for hiding key Daesh members in Idlib, Syria and training Daesh members in Iraq and Syria as well as serving on its decision-making council.

NORTH AMERICA

Twenty-one year old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa was arrested by the police for a shooting incident in Boulder, Colorado in the United States of America (USA). The suspect had attacked the King Soopers supermarket during lunch time with a pistol that was modified to resemble the AR-15 rifle. Ten people were killed during the attack, and two of them were identified as the store manager and a police officer.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Five members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) had surrendered to the Philippines security forces in Ampatuan in Southern Mindanao. All of them were part of the Imam Minimbang @ Karialan cluster. They also surrendered their weapons, including three rifles, an M16, an M14 and an M79 rocket launcher.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

This week, Densus 88 arrested 12 terrorist suspects with links to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) during a raid in Surabaya, Sidoarja, Mojokerto and Malang in East Java, Indonesia. The police also seized several arrows and self-defence equipment including a samurai sword and boxing equipment. A few days later, Densus 88 successfully arrested a man identified only as N on the suspicion of being involved in terrorist activities.

Meanwhile, four members of the Bangsamoro Islam Freedom Fighters (BIFF) had clashed with the Philippines security forces in Maguindanao in the Southern Mindanao. Four BIFF members were killed while two others were injured during this incident.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Nine women believed to be part of Abu Sayyaf Group’s (ASG) network were captured by the Philippine police and security forces in Sulu in the Southern Philippines. Three of these suspects, identified as 36-year old Isara Jalmaani Abduhajan, Jedah Abduhajan Amin (28) and Elena Tasum Sawadjaan Abun (40), are daughters of ASG leader, Hatib Hadjan Sawadjaan. During the raid, the security forces found several improvised explosive device (IED) components along with battery, pipe, nails, blasting caps and ammonium nitrate. The women were arrested on the suspicion of plotting suicide bomb attacks. They were believed to have undergone orientation and learned to make explosives.