Mohammad Noaim Maute. PHOTO from PNP
Government troops arrested an alleged Maute bomber in Cagayan de Oro City Thursday morning.
Mohammad Noaim Maute, alias Abu Jadid, was arrested in Barangay (village) Macasandig at about 6:30 a.m., said Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay in a statement.
He was brought to Camp Alagar in Cagayan de Oro.
Abu Jadid used a fake ID of Mindanao State University bearing the name of Alfaiz Mamintal to get through checkpoints, a police report said.
Last Saturday, police warned Cagayan de Oro residents against two suspected Maute bombers: Maute and Mohammad Reza Kiram, alias Abdulrahman.
Abu Jadid is said to be a relative of the Maute brothers, who led the ongoing siege in Marawi City.
He was also included in the Arrest Order 1 issued by the Department of National Defense.
Only last week, the parents of the Maute brothers were arrested in separate incidents.
READ: Father of Maute brothers flown to Manila for security reasons—Army exec
The ongoing conflict in Marawi, which is on its fourth week, has killed more than 200 people, including militants, civilians and government troops.
Security analyst Prof. Rommel Banlaoi said Abu Jadid is not part of the top hierarchy of the Maute clan.
“Isa lang siya sa mga hinahanap ng law enforcement authorities because of his association with the Maute pero wala siya sa taas ng hierarchy. Isa lang siya sa mga followers na trained ng Maute in bomb-making,” he said in a Radyo Inquirer 990AM interview.
(He’s just one of those who are being sought out because of his association with the Maute but he’s not high up in the hierarchy. He’s just one of the followers who are trained by the Maute in bomb-making.)
Abu Jadid’s arrest outside Marawi City could mean that other target personalities are in other parts of Mindanao.
“Kung na-arrest outside Marawi, ibig sabihin may mga target personalities na nasa iba’t ibang bahagi ng siyudad ng Mindanao na pwede nilang puntahan. Ito ‘yung mga usual places na meron supporters like Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, Gen San, Sarangani and even Cotabato City,” Banlaoi said.
(If arrested outside Marawi, this means there are target personalities who are in different parts of Mindanao where they can go to. These are the usual places that have supporters like Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, Gen San, Sarangani and even Cotabato City.) CBB/rga/JE