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PH long eyed as IS caliphate – analyst

The Islamic State had chosen to establish a base in the Philippines after it failed to do so in Indonesia, according to a security analyst.

The Philippines has been on the IS’s list since it began to plan expansion in Africa, the Caucasus and Asia in 2014, said Rohan Gunaratna, a Singaporen analyst on security affairs, according to a PNA report.

“The Philippines was selected because they could not establish a caliphate in Indonesia,” PNA quoted Gunaratna as saying.

The Philippines became a choice for an IS base because of the presence of local terrorist groups that could support its extremism cause, such as the Abu Sayyaf group in Basilan led by Isnilon Hapilon, Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan’s group in Sulu, the Ansar Khalifa Philippines in the Soccskargen region, the Maute Group in Lanao del Sur, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a breakaway group from the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Gunaratna also said the Philippines should uphold the local tradition of Islam that promotes tolerance and peace and not Wahhabism, which is a conservative form of Islam that seeks punishments for those who do not follow its teachings.

Photo Credits: Daily Mail

One Comment

  1. This guy does not even what wahabi means. Wahabi /salafi has nothing to do with daesh or isis. Salafs are peaceful people who doesn’t support riots or protest against government.
    Daesh is supported by muslim brotherhood of Egypt and Iran shia ideologies.
    Irony is these dogs of hell fire does not know that in Islam there is no fight for land but peaceful process of conveying Allahs message. That there’s no diety worthy of worship but Allah. We worship the creator and not the created. Abraham, moses, Jesus and Muhammad are all His Messengers.
    There is no compulsion in religion as per Qur’an.
    So these terrorists doesn’t even know the basic teaching of Islam. So they don’t represent Islam or does Islam need such black sheep as muslims and we Muslims do not support them. Period.

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