US Treasury names Filipino ISIS man as global terrorist
Published Feb 11, 2018 03:16 pm
By Roy Mabasa
The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has identified a key facilitator for ISIS and its network in the Philippines as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
(AFP|MANILA BULLETIN)
Abdulpatta Escalon Abubakar of the Philippines was one of the three individuals designated as global terrorists by the US Treasury over the weekend. He was designated for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, ISIS.
According to the US Treasury, Abubakar has served as a key facilitator for ISIS and its network in the Philippines since at least January 2016.
It was further alleged that Abubakar worked with an ISIS member in the Philippines to facilitate the transfer of approximately $5,000 in July 2017 and helped facilitate the transfer of approximately $50,000 to ISIS’s network in the Philippines in August 2016.
In July 2016, ISIS reportedly sent approximately $20,000 through Abubakar, which may have been used by ISIS elements in the Philippines to purchase arms.
Furthermore, the US Treasury noted that in May 2016, at the direction of Isnilon Hapilon, the now deceased former leader of ISIS’s network in the Philippines, Abubakar made arrangements to procure a large amount of ammunition and arms. In January 2016, Abubakar also worked with an ISIS member in the Philippines to procure improvised explosive device materials for Hapilon.
In late September 2017, Abubakar was detained by Filipino authorities as he was traveling from the Gulf to the Philippines.
Aside from Abubakar, Yunus Emre Sakarya of Turkey, and Mohamed Mire Ali Yusuf of Somalia were also identified as Specially Designated Global Terrorists for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, ISIS.
The move to designate the three individuals as global terrorists was made pursuant to Executive Order 13224 issued by US President George W. Bush on September 23, 2001, as a response to the attacks on September 11, 2001 and which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
The US Treasury said these actions are part of a continued whole-of-government effort to identify and expose individuals and entities that provide support to ISIS and advance the violent terrorist group’s operational activity.
(AFP|MANILA BULLETIN)
Abdulpatta Escalon Abubakar of the Philippines was one of the three individuals designated as global terrorists by the US Treasury over the weekend. He was designated for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, ISIS.
According to the US Treasury, Abubakar has served as a key facilitator for ISIS and its network in the Philippines since at least January 2016.
It was further alleged that Abubakar worked with an ISIS member in the Philippines to facilitate the transfer of approximately $5,000 in July 2017 and helped facilitate the transfer of approximately $50,000 to ISIS’s network in the Philippines in August 2016.
In July 2016, ISIS reportedly sent approximately $20,000 through Abubakar, which may have been used by ISIS elements in the Philippines to purchase arms.
Furthermore, the US Treasury noted that in May 2016, at the direction of Isnilon Hapilon, the now deceased former leader of ISIS’s network in the Philippines, Abubakar made arrangements to procure a large amount of ammunition and arms. In January 2016, Abubakar also worked with an ISIS member in the Philippines to procure improvised explosive device materials for Hapilon.
In late September 2017, Abubakar was detained by Filipino authorities as he was traveling from the Gulf to the Philippines.
Aside from Abubakar, Yunus Emre Sakarya of Turkey, and Mohamed Mire Ali Yusuf of Somalia were also identified as Specially Designated Global Terrorists for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, ISIS.
The move to designate the three individuals as global terrorists was made pursuant to Executive Order 13224 issued by US President George W. Bush on September 23, 2001, as a response to the attacks on September 11, 2001 and which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
The US Treasury said these actions are part of a continued whole-of-government effort to identify and expose individuals and entities that provide support to ISIS and advance the violent terrorist group’s operational activity.