The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is wary over the possible spread of influence of the jihadist Islamic State in the Philippines if the Bangsamoro Basic Law fails to hurdle the legislative process.
GMA News stringer Ferdinandh Cabrera quoted chief MILF negotiator Mohagher Iqbal as saying talks between the government and the MILF should show unity and sincerity in attaining peace to steer the Muslim community away from ISIS influence.
“The danger of ISIS is not the actual confrontation but we have to look up to two situations: One is the ideology of radicalism which is infectious, the other one is that if we fail in this engagement — with this present Bangsamoro Basic Law — and eventually become irrelevant then that’s the danger, Iqbal said.
Iqbal also noted that the MILF can help curb the spread of extremism in Mindanao.
BIFF, Abu Sayyaf side with IS
Earlier in August, clips were uploaded on the video sharing site YouTube showing both the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Abu Sayyaf rebels pledging support to the Islamic State (IS).
BIFF spokesman Abu Misry Mama said: “We have an alliance with the Islamic State and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.”
Authorities describe the Abu Sayyaf as a radical group having links with the al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist organizations.
