A United States specially designated global terrorist was arrested in Sulu on Thursday.

The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) identified the arrested US Specially Designated Global Terrorist as Myrna Mabanza, 32, who is also included in the United Nations Security Council Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) or the Daesh and al-Qaeda Sanctions List.

"The ATC commends the efforts of the offices and units involved in this successful operation on the arrest of Mabanza," the council chaired by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stated.

Mabanza was arrested in a law enforcement operation conducted by joint elements from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and supported by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in Barangay Pasil, Indanan, Sulu on February 15.

Mabanza was involved in the transfer of funds with the leader of Islamic State East Asia, the late Isnilon Hapilon, and served as intermediary between Hapilon and Daesh elements in Syria "has standing arrest warrants for five counts of violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 10168 (The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012) and RA No. 11479 (The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020) under Criminal Case Numbers 53502, 53503, 53504, 53506, and 53507, all issued on December 20, 2023 in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur with no bail recommended."

"She also helped facilitate the travel of a representative of a Daesh-linked terrorist group, the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), from Indonesia to the Philippines to purchase arms and to set up training courses for pro-Daesh Indonesian recruits with local terrorist groups on firearms use and basic bomb-making," ATC stated.

It also noted that "Mabanza’s arrest marks another positive note for the Philippines’ whole-of-nation campaign to address terrorism and terrorism financing that will reflect well to contribute in the country’s unyielding efforts to get out of the Financial Action Task Force’s Grey List". Robina Asido/DMS