Suspected terrorist slain in Davao was JI Facebook recruit, Malaysia news site says

From GMANews (Dec 21): Suspected terrorist slain in Davao was JI Facebook recruit, Malaysia news site says

The suspected terrorist who was killed in Davao City last weekend was a "Facebook recruit" of the Jemaah Islamiyah terror network, a Malaysian news site reported. "Kedah-born Mohd Noor Fikrie, 26, was in touch with Marwan and the Abu Sayyaf via social media and used a Sabahan contact to travel between Sandakan and Zamboanga City in southern Philippines," the report said. It cited intelligence sources who said Fikrie was with top JI leader and fellow Malaysian Zulkifli Abdul Hir a.k.a. Marwan and Abu Sayyaf terrorists during encounters with Philippine military and police in the past few months. Marwan is believed to have escaped an offensive by Philippine security forces last Feb. 2, where Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail Gumbahali a.k.a. Dr. Abu was killed, the report said. The Star quoted its source as saying the JI and Abu Sayyaf were operating together in the Sulu area, "but JI moved to Mindanao when the Philippine security forces, supported by technical help from US and Australia, put intense pressure on them.”

Fikrie was gunned down following an encounter with police in Davao City Friday night. His Filipina wife has been taken into custody. In Friday's encounter, he was reportedly carrying an improvised explosive device that he threatened to detonate.

Initiation rite?

The Star said it remained unclear who Fikrie's target was, even as Philippine police already pointed out the bomb could have been detonated in a populated area like a shopping mall or a church. Police also noted that at the time of the encounter, preparations were being made for the start of the traditional Simbang Gabi. The report said it is possible Fikrie was undergoing an "initiation rite" to rise up the JI's ranks. "Despite being a relative newcomer, he was already in close contact with top JI leader and fellow Malaysian Zulkifli Abdul Hir a.k.a. Marwan," it said.

Tracked by cops

The Star report quoted its source as saying Philippine authorities managed to keep track of Fikrie after a recent attack on a JI hideout where he managed to escape. “But in his haste, he left his Malaysian identity card behind,” the source said. The Star said Fikrie finished high school and worked in several jobs in Malacca where his father was a sergeant at the police contingent headquarters' training center. He married a woman identified only as Nuzul and they lived in Kampung Bahagia, Klebang in Malacca until they divorced late last year. He then left for Mindanao and married a Filipina Muslim convert from Sorsogon. "It is learnt that over the past few years, he was drawn to JI and its aims and kept in touch with key operatives via social media," the report said.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/287260/news/nation/suspected-terrorist-slain-in-davao-was-ji-facebook-recruit-malaysia-news-site-says