By FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent
MARAWI City — The military on Monday said its troops have killed the top lieutenant of Malaysia’s most wanted terrorist who is fighting alongside with Isis-inspired gunmen here.
Armed Forces Western Command chief Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez said Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee, 39, a Malaysian, was killed along with 15 others in the battle to retake control of Bato Mosque last month.
Galvez said Joraimee and other militants were in the vicinity of the mosque when the fighting began.
“We can confirm, he was killed along with the others in the fighting around the mosque,” Galvez said.
Galvez did not present any hard data to support the military claims but said the Malaysian government has confirmed Joraimee’s death in an exchange of intelligence information.
He said Malaysian intelligence agencies have monitored Joraimee’s death when it was announced at various chat rooms on the social media.
Galvez said these were corroborated by testimonies from the 17 hostages who escaped from the Isis-Maute terrorist last week.
Joraimee was the most trusted lieutenant of Malaysia’s most wanted terrorist, Doctor Mahmud Ahmad, who along with another Malaysian terrorist came to Basilan and Sulu to establish an Islamic caliphate in 2014.
Ahmad played a key role in planning the attack of Marawi City as seen by a video that showed him and other militant leaders being briefed by Abdullah Maute, one of the leaders of the Maute terrorist group.
Galvez said they have no idea about the whereabouts of Ahmad but they are certain that there are still six foreign terrorists fighting in Marawi city.
“We believe there are still six foreign fighters down from 19,” Galvez said.
Galvez said they have also crossed out the information that 15 Indonesian terrorists have flown in through Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental to join in the fighting.
He said with the help of the Indonesian consulate in Davao City, they have tracked down all the Indonesian and found they were legitimate visitors who have joined an international conference for Muslim preachers in Marawi City.
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