Saudi national linked to IS, companion arrested in Cotabato City

COTABATO CITY—Soldiers and policemen on Wednesday captured here a Saudi national said to be working for the international terror network Islamic State (IS), according to police.

The Saudi national, Adel Sulaiman Alsuhibani, has been involved in IS as a liaison in bringing other Arab IS members to the Philippines, said Maj. Esmael Madin, provincial officer of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Maguindanao.

Madin, in a report, said Alsuhabini was arrested with a certain Norhaya Silongan Lumanggal. He did not provide more details, though.

Policemen and soldiers served a search warrant on Alsuhabini’s residence and found a homemade bomb and bomb components in one of the rooms, Madin said.

The suspects, bomb and bomb components were brought to the CIDG Maguindanao office, he said.

Madin said Alsuhabini reports to Esmael Abdulrakma, aka Abu Toraife, who is now a top leader of IS in East Asia. Toraife was leader of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), which broke off from the mainstream Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in disagreement with MILF’s peace deal with the government.

Also found in Alsuhabini’s residence was an Saudi Arabia identification card, alien certificate of registration and five different passports.

Edited by TSB