NBI Nabbed ISIS Recruiter, Terrorist Leader’s Widow In Taguig

Authorities said Wednesday, October 18, that they have arrested a terrorist leader’s widow who recruited foreign fighters and spread extremist propaganda related to the siege of Marawi City by the Maute terror group.

Complaints for 14 counts of inciting to rebellion have been filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Filipina Karen Aizha Hamidon, who was presented at a news conference by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

Hamidon was arrested on October 11 and was said to have been married to Mohammad Jaafar Maguid of the small but violent Islamic group Ansar Khalifa Philippines who was killed in January in a clash with police in Sarangani province.

“She gained international notoriety in the middle of 2016 when she successfully recruited several Indian nationals to come to the Philippines and join the radical Islamic extremist groups in Mindanao,” Secretary Aguirre said.

On the day of her arrest, she allegedly posted a message on her Telegram instant messaging app inviting Muslims to join Islamic State (IS)-linked terrorists who have laid siege on Marawi City.

Forensic examinations on her cellphone showed 296 posts of the same message promoting rebellion in Marawi, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said.

The NBI, an agency under the Department of Justice, said Hamidon was also the ex-wife of a Singaporean, Muhammad Shamin Mohammed Sidek, detained there for alleged ties to the IS group.

The agency also said she is being investigated in other countries for possible links to international terrorist financing.

Hamidon was detained in the NBI Detention facility.

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Source: SunStar Philippines