The Philippines is working with the United States to thwart the reported recruitment of the terror group ISIS in the country, particularly in Mindanao, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.
In a press statement, the DFA said authorities, especially the military, have commenced with their intelligence and information gathering after it was earlier reported that two Filipinos were among those recently killed in Syria while fighting on the side of the militants.
“Although the reported deaths of two Filipinos fighting with the opposition in Syria remain unconfirmed to date, the Philippine government is cognizant of the potential threat to national security that could be posed by Philippine nationals joining extremist groups overseas,” it said.
“Our security and intelligence authorities have commenced the monitoring of possible recruitment by ISIS and other foreign extremist groups in the Philippines,” the statement added.
The DFA said authorities are also verifying reports that some young Filipino Muslims who have gone to Syria and Iraq, are now trying to radicalize others on their return home.
“Such dangers include the propagation of extremist ideas and terrorism by Filipinos affiliated with such groups upon their return home,” the agency said.
During a conference on Tuesday, US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said the US government, in cooperation with the Philippine government, is now closely monitoring the country, particularly Mindanao, amid the reports that ISIS is recruiting fighters in the region.
In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Abu Misry Mama, spokesperson of the splinter group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), admitted that the BIFF leadership had pledged allegiance to ISIS and is in constant communication with its leaders, especially with ISIS head Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
“We reiterate that the Philippines condemns the war crimes and crimes against humanity being perpetrated by ISIS. As a responsible member of the international community, the Philippines will do its part in global efforts to thwart ISIS,” the DFA said.
Last week, US President Barack Obama ordered military offensive operations, including air strikes, against ISIS in Syria and Iraq after the killing of two American journalists and a British social volunteer.
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