Philippines identifies 2 members of pro-Islamic State group as bomb suspects

MANILA — Philippine police on Wednesday (Dec 6) named two men suspected of being involved in a deadly blast that killed four people during a Catholic Mass in a southern city at the weekend.

Those suspected of orchestrating the attack in Marawi were members of Daulah-Islamiyah Maute, a pro-Islamic State militant group that took control of the city in 2017 and held it through five months of ground offensives and air strikes by the military.

The suspects were Kadapi Mimbesa, 35, and Arsani Membisa, whose age was not determined, the police said at a news briefing. Both have outstanding arrest warrants for crimes such as murder and kidnapping.

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the blast, saying one of its members detonated the bomb.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had blamed "foreign terrorists" for the explosion.

"We're going to file appropriate cases against the identified suspects along with other John Does," said Brigadier General Allan Nobleza, regional police director. "We are mobilising our resources to make sure the perpetrators are put behind bars."

The pair's known address was in Lanao del Sur province, but they conducted criminal operations also in neighbouring Lanao del Norte province.

Kadapi Mimbesa has a pending warrant of arrest for kidnapping and illegal possession of explosives, with an arrest reward of 600,000 pesos (S$14,542), while Arsani Membisa is wanted for murder, the police said.

Another suspect, the lookout, has yet to be identified.

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