(Eagle News) — An Indonesian couple assisted by local terrorists carried out the twin blasts in Jolo, Sulu that left at least 20 people dead, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Friday, Feb. 1.
In an interview over CNN Philippines, Año said the purpose of Abu Huda and his wife, who has not been named yet, was to “set an example and induce Filipinos to become suicide bombers.”
He said the male Indonesian had been staying in Sulu for a time, while his wife only followed.
“Sa ngayon kasi, wala pang Pilipino na nagsusuicide bombing,” Año said.
According to Año, the male Indonesian carried out the bombing outside the cathedral, while his wife, who was the one three survivors saw sitting on the fourth row of the church, carried out the bombing inside.
Año said the Dawlah Islamiyah group, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and which is now being “followed” by the Abu Sayyaf, including the Ajang-Ajang group, assisted the foreigners in perpetrating the attack.
He said the Jolo blasts, like the Lamitan bombing, was a “project” of Hatib Hajan Sawajaan, who replaced Isnilon Hapilon as the local terrorist leader recognized by the Islamic State.
Based on investigation then, he said alias Kamah, a commander of the Ajang-Ajang group, was also “really involved.”
“Abu Sayyaf probably conducted the surveillance,” Año said.
Asked if there were other foreigners involved, Año said there was an “Arab-looking” man in Sawajaan’s camp who was being “monitored.”
He said the man was married to a Tausug and was a known suicide bomber.
Also being monitored was Moroccan Abu Kathir al-Maghrebi, who Año said was also behind the Lamitan bombing and was now reported to be in Basilan.
“So far, sa ongoing investigation, may di nagclaclaim na dalawang pair of legs at skull ng head ng lalaki,” he added.
“Counterterrorism is everybody’s responsibility so I enjoin our citizens to be vigilant and report anything unusual. Then we can thwart any (attack),” Año added.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte said a Yemeni couple was responsible for the blasts on Sunday, Jan. 27.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday, Feb. 1, said he was convinced the attack on the cathedral was a suicide bombing, based on the “evidence at hand.”
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