A SUSPECTED foreign terrorist and suicide bomber, as well as two others were arrested by government troops in the province of Sulu, a top military official said Saturday, October 10, 2020.
Brigadier General William Gonzales, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said the suspects were arrested in a law enforcement operation around 1:50 a.m. Saturday in Asturias village, Jolo, the capital town of Sulu.
Gonzales identified the arrested foreign terrorist and suicide bomber as Rezky Fantasya Rulli alias Cici, a female Indonesian.
He said the two other arrested suspects were identified as Inda Nurhaina, wife of Abu Sayyaf bandit sub-leader Ben Tatoo, and Fatima Sandra Jimlani, wife of Jahid Jam, a member of the Abu Sayyaf.
He said the suspects were in possession of a suicide vest rigged with pipe bombs and other components of an improvised explosive device when arrested inside a house believed to be owned by Tatoo.
Gonzales said Rullie is on top of their list in the pursuit operation they launched against foreign terrorists in the province of Sulu after the August 24 twin bombings in Jolo.
He said Rullie is the wife of Andi Baso, an Indonesian terrorist who was killed in a clash with government troops on August 29 in Patikul, Sulu.
He said Rullie is believed to be the daughter of the Indonesian couple who perpetrated the January 27, 2019 twin suicide bombings at the Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo.
“My commendations to all the units involved in this operation. Let us continue to support each other with vigor and enthusiasm to combat terrorism and lawlessness,” said Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).
“Rest assured that Team Westmincom will continue to keep guard as we sustain the conduct of combat, intelligence and civil-military operations to ensure peace and security in the region,” Vinluan added. (SunStar Zamboanga)