BI to search records for top JI terrorist

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration will search its database for information regarding top Malaysian terrorist and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader Zulkifli bin Abdul Hir, alias Marwan, BI Commissioner Siegfred Mison said yesterday.

The bureau’s move came after reports said Marwan, who was reported killed in a military air strike in Sulu two years ago, has been seen around Cotabato.

A captured Abu Sayyaf leader, Khair Mundos, recently disclosed that Marwan is alive and that he had met with him in Maguindanao last year. 

Mison said the military has not asked the BI’s help for any information about the JI leader. He said their move was voluntary to help track down the terrorist.

“We will provide all relevant data that we can gather about this person,” Mison said.

He said looking for information about Marwan “is not going to be a problem but a challenge.”

The BI chief said if Marwan managed to slip out of the country undetected, he could have left through the southern part of the country, which is referred to as the “back door.”

The US government has put up a $5-million bounty for Marwan’s capture while the Philippines offered P7.4 million.