Abu Sayyaf commander Isnilon Hapilon is seen swearing allegiance to Islamic State in this image from a video posted on YouTube
The Philippines has received intelligence that shows closer links between domestic militants and Islamic State, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Thursday, adding weight to worries that Middle East extremists are building a network in Southeast Asia.
Intelligence from allies showed a leader of the Abu Sayyaf militant group, which has gained notoriety for piracy and kidnapping, was trying to spread into new areas of the country upon the instruction of Islamic State, Lorenzana said.
"Isnilon Hapilon left his traditional area of operation on Basilan island and went to Lanao del Sur to see the area and find out if it is conducive for them to move there," Lorenzana told a news conference.
Lorenzana did not say which country provided the intelligence but said it included information that Hapilon had made the move to survey the new area "at the behest" of Islamic State.
The army had until recently denied the existence of links between Islamic State and local militants and said the Abu Sayyaf had only pledged allegiance to the network to boost its profile.
The group, which operates in Sulu and Basilan, has kidnapped dozens of foreigners over recent years and beheaded several of them, including two Canadians last year.
The United States has a $5 million bounty on the head of Hapilon for leading the 2001 kidnapping of 20 people, including three Americans, on a resort island. He has been identified as Abu Sayyaf's commander on Basilan.
President Rodrigo Duterte has recently raised the alarm about the prospect of Islamic State "contaminating" the Philippines if driven out of Iraq and Syria.
"They were communicating before but not as much as what they are doing now when ISIS in the Middle East are having trouble retaining their areas," Lorenzana said, referring to contacts between Abu Sayyaf and Islamic State.
Lanao del Sur is a stronghold of a the Maute group, which has also pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Several of its members have been arrested for the September 2, 2016 Davao City bombing in which 14 people were killed.
The military on Thursday dropped bombs and fired shells at rebel positions in the mountains of Lanao del Sur in a bid to flush out Hapilon, Lorenzana said.
http://interaksyon.com/article/136592/abu-sayyafs-hapilon-scouting-lanao-del-sur-on-is-orders---lorenzana
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