Daughter of suicide bombers being trained to follow parents: A?o
Interior Secretary Eduardo A?o believes that the 10-year-old daughter of the suspected Indonesian Jolo suicide bombers is being trained to have the same fate as her parents.
In a press conference at Camp Crame on Thursday, A?o said the daughter of the suicide bombers was left under the care of a relative of an Abu Sayyaf Group member in Patikul, Sulu.
She is living under the faction of Abu Sayyaf leader Hatib Sawadjaan.
“We believe so that this child that entrusted to a member of ASG will become later on probably a future suicide bomber,” A?o said.
The DILG chief said terrorists believe they will go to heaven if they die during as suicide bombing.
He said they are still looking for the daughter to cross match the DNA samples they have with that of the alleged suicide bombers.
“It is good that we will interview her, where they came from and we can cross match with the DNA test so that we will know if she really is the daughter,” said A?o .
According to the laboratory results of the Philippine National Police, two pairs of feet did not match any identified victims.
“We have so many sources but until we really get the official and formal confirmation, that’s the only time that we can say they are really Indonesians,” he said.
Asked if there are still foreign terrorists in the country, A?o said another suicide bomber was also staying under Sawadjaan’s faction for almost one year.
“An Arab-looking national. He could be a Yemeni or he could be an Egyptian, I am not sure but he’s Arab looking and he’s already married to a local Tausug woman and they have children. We are looking into this personality,” said A?o
The DILG chief said this person is still hiding but once he comes out of their camp, they will automatically arrest him.
As of the moment, A?o said they have not received any report this suicide bomber has a target.
“Our information is this guy is a trained suicide bomber but we have not yet monitored their plan, unlike Jolo cathedral… Even before (the incident) we monitored that that is their target,” he said.
Based on their record, there are around 10 foreign terrorist in different parts of Mindanao.
“When we started the Marawi operation... almost half of them were killed in the Marawi crisis, so we are no longer monitoring 22 (terrorists) only around 10 plus because some left the country,” said Ano.
“Other foreign terrorists are in different camps, we are not sure if they are suicide bombers. They are just, as part of ISIS,” he said.
According to A?o , they are Indonesians... Malaysians, Pakistani, Egyptians, and Yemeni who are in different provinces like Basilan and Maguindanao.
“(They are doing) so many activities, religious activities and also they are trying to conduct an international connection,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS
