Alleged wife of Abu Sayyaf bomb-maker arrested in Jolo, explosives recovered

From ABS-CBN (Mar 6, 2022): Alleged wife of Abu Sayyaf bomb-maker arrested in Jolo, explosives recovered

Philippine authorities said they arrested the second wife of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Mundi Sawadjaan in a joint operation in Barangay Tulay in Jolo, Sulu Saturday.

In a statement, the Joint Task Force Sulu said it arrested a certain Nursitta Mahalli Malud, also known as Kirsita Ismael, by virtue of a search warrant for possession of illegal explosives.

Allegedly recovered from the suspect were several explosives and bomb-making components, including an 81mm mortar cartridge, a detonation cord, a blasting cap, a 9-volt battery, and other paraphernalia.

Authorities later confirmed that Kirsita Ismael is the second wife of bomb maker Sawadjaan. She is also in charge of his finances and the procurement of IED materials.

The suspect is currently in the custody of the Jolo Police, while the other pieces of evidence were turned over to the 9th Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Provincial Field Unit and the Provincial Explosive and Canine Unit (PECU).

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/06/22/alleged-wife-of-abu-sayyaf-bomb-maker-arrested-in-jolo