SANDAKAN – A skilled bomb expert and mastermind behind two terror incidents in the Philippines remains alive and has been added into the Eastern Sabah Security Command’s (ESSCom) wanted list this month.
ESSCom’s commander Hamzah Ahmad in a statement today confirmed that Mudzrimar @ Mundi Sawadjaan, a sub-leader in the Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) is still alive despite being reported dead in May last year.
“Through sharing of intelligence information between ESSCom and the Sulu Joint Task Force and Western Mindanao Command, it has been confirmed that Mudzrimar @ Mundi Sawadjaan is still alive after several encounters with the Philippines’ security team since July last year.
“Therefore, the suspect remains in the wanted list to assist the investigation into cross-border crimes and kidnap-for-ransom crimes in areas under the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone),” he said.
Last Thursday, The Vibes reported that ESSCom has added five new individuals to its wanted list including Mudzrimar, who is a bomb expert.
Mudzrimar is suspected to be the brains behind the planned bombing of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral on Jolo Island in the southwestern Philippines on January 27, 2019.
Two bombs exploded in that incident, killing 20 people, leaving 102 others injured.
Mudzrimar is also suspected to have planned the bombing in Jolo on August 24, 2020, that killed 14 people and wounded 75 others.
The wanted list now has 20 individuals connected to ASG, which has been involved in kidnap-for-ransom crimes in areas under the ESSZone. – The Vibes, January 30, 2022
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