Sayyaf propaganda taunts Rody

From Malaya (Jun 23): Sayyaf propaganda taunts Rody

A DAY after President-elect Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte vowed to crush the Abu Sayyaf, a video purportedly coming from the international terrorist group Islamic State surfaced, calling on Filipinos to support the Abu Sayyaf which is notorious for its kidnapping for ransom activities.

A man in the video said Muslims should wage jihad by attacking government leaders, politicians, and Muslims who have rejected Islam in exchange for money. He said their houses and localities should be bombed.

“Do not pity them. Stab them with the use of bolo, pour gasoline on their residences. Be careful and be strong and don’t be misled by the tactics of the newly-elected President of the Philippines in the person of (Rodrigo) Duterte,” he said.

The Armed Forces, through spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, dismissed the video as “propaganda.”

He also said there is nothing new in the video which spread through social media.

In the video, a man brandishing a rifle urged Muslims to unite under Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, who he said is the “amir” or prince of mujahiden in the Philippines. Hapilon, in a video released in 2014, was shown showing allegiance to the IS, a radical Islamic group.

Several other groups in Mindanao, including the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front, a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, have been linking themselves to the IS which has been suffering defeats in Iraq and Syria from US-backed military troops.

Padilla said, “People should not be bothered by this because its part of their propaganda they are propagating.”

Padilla said asked members of the social media community not to spread the video.

“If you are a member of the social media community, let us not dignify this. Let us not give importance to this (video). Let’s do what is right which is to delete it and don’t pass it to others,” Padilla said.

Duterte has vowed to crush Abu Sayyaf during his term. The Abu Sayyaf has about 300 to 400 members, mostly operating in the provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

Duterte has the image of being tough against crimes. He is also waging war against illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, three Abu Sayyaf men were killed while 10 others were wounded in a firefight with troops in  Patikul town in Sulu on Tuesday afternoon.

Sixteen soldiers were also wounded.

Maj. Filemon Tan, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, said troops from the 32nd Infantry Battalion were on a security operation when they encountered about 200 Abu Sayyaf men in Sitio Bud Duwa in barangay Pansul around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Tan said the Army troopers clashed with the Abu Sayyaf men for one-and-a-half hours, until the bandits “scampered towards several directions.”

The fighting occurred eight days after the group beheaded Canadian Robert Hall in the nearby town of Talipao town for failure of authorities to pay ransom for him and his fellow Samal kidnap victims.

Hall was among the four people abducted from a resort on Samal island in Davao del Norte last September. He was beheaded on June 13.

The three others are Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Marites Flor, who are still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf, and Canadian John Ridsdel who was beheaded last April 25 also in Talipao.

http://malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/sayyaf-propaganda-taunts-rody