'Main suspect' in Jolo Cathedral bombing, Alias Kamah of the Abu Sayyaf group, surrendered to the authorities. Abu Sayyaf an islamic militant organisation known for kidnappings and extremist factions and has pledged allegiance to Islamic State. Four more suspects other than Kamah surrendered with regards to bombing in a Catholic church in Jolo, Philippines.
Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, has been named the 'mastermind' and 'financier' of the Jolo Cathedral bombing which killed 23 and injured over 100. Other suspects who surrendered are Albaji Kisae Gadjali, Rajan Bakil Gadjali, Kaisar Bakil Gadjali and Salit Alih.
"Philippine troops killed three suspected Abu Sayyaf militants and suffered five fatalities in a firefight on Saturday in Patikul, a town in the province of Sulu as troops pursued those behind the church attack," Oscar Albayalde, the national police chief said. He also said that Kammah denied involvement in the twin bombings at the Jolo cathedral that killed 23 people, including civilians and soldiers, but eyewitnesses' accounts showed he escorted the Indonesian couple, suspected to have carried out the bombings.
While, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte suggested that the twin explosions may have been a suicide attack, the military and police said the bombs appeared to have been detonated remotely. Recently, Duterte's interior minister, Eduardo Ano, said that suicide attack was carried out by an Indonesian couple with the help of Abu Sayyaf.
Security forces also retrieved an improvised explosive device (IED) and components from his home.The five suspects will face multiple murder charges. However, the investigation into the church bombing in Sulu,a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group, is "far from over," he added.
