A “trusted aide” of Filipino terrorist leader and bombmaker Mudzrimar “Mundi” Sawadjaan was arrested by police on Sunday, September 27.

In a Camp Crame press briefing on Monday, September 28, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Camilo Cascolan announced the arrest of Hashim Saripada, also known as “Ibnu Kashir” in Zamboanga City at around 6:30 am.

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Police declined to reveal more details aside from Saripada’s arrest being the result of civilians tipping him off to authorities.

Saripada was served an arrest warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court 2 in Isabela, Basilan over multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges.

Who is Saripada?

Cascolan said that Saripada played a key role in at least 2 major bombing incidents in Mindanao.

He allegedly facilitated the July 2018 bombing that killed at least 12 in Lamitan City by arranging for the transportation of the suicide bomber, Moroccan national Abu Khatir Al-Maghribi.

Saripada also allegedly prepared the explosives detonated by the Indonesian suicide bombers in the Jolo Cathedral bombings in January 2019 that killed at least 23 and injured at least 100.

Why does this matter?

Cascolan said Saripada is a key personality in the circles of Sawadjaan, who is the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) unit sub-leader involved in other deadly bombings in Mindanao.

Sawadjaan was recently named by the Philippine military as the mastermind behind the Jolo twin bombings that killed at least 15 and injured at least 75 in August.

“This will be a very, very big blow on him,” Cascolan said.

Saripada is currently under interrogation by the PNP in Zamboanga, according to PNP Intelligence Group chief Brigadier General Edgar Monsalve. – Rappler.com