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Rocket.Chat User Reports "Martyrdom" Of ISEAP Emir In Lanao, Two Media Operatives, Threatens Philippine "Unbelievers And Crusaders"
On July 26, 2024, a user of the Islamic State (ISIS)-operated Rocket.Chat encrypted server, published a post in the Filipino language which he claimed was a message from the "brothers from East Asia Wilayah [Province]." According to the message, two "mujahideen in charge of local media," Abu Jihad and Abu Omar, were "martyred," along with "Lanao emir Abu Mos'd."[1] He did not specify the date, location, or circumstances of their deaths.
The user attached a screenshot of a social media post showing two posters featuring the logo of the Islamic State East Asia Province (ISEAP). The Arabic-language posters, dated to the month of Shawwal 1445 (May-June 2024) eulogize operatives "Abu Mas'oud" and "Abu Qahtani" as "martyrs."[2]
He also posted photos showing two fighters, with the caption "martyrs" stamped across the images.[3]
Posting a photo showing about two dozen IEDs, the user commented in Filipino: "Those shaheeds [martyrs] have returned to Allah, while the rest of us will continue the jihad, be it victory or martyrdom. Filipino kuffar [unbelievers] and crusaders, we have a gift for you!" In the corner of the photo an operative appears, his face digitally blurred, along with the caption: "Dawlah Islam Philippines, Amir Abdullah Ansari."[4]
In December 2023, sources linked to ISEAP named Abu Abdullah Ansari as the newly-appointed spokesman of ISEAP.[5]
According to Philippine media, Nasser Daud aka Mahater aka Mas'od is the leader of an ISEAP faction active in Lanao del Norte Province. Some Philippine news sources gave Abu Jihad as an alias of Daud's, while others gave it as an alias of commander Najeb Laguindab, who was reportedly killed along with four of his men in Munai, Lanao del Norte, on April 29.[6] Daud himself was reported as alive on May 1, and there appear to be no news reports of his death.[7]
Rocket.Chat User Documents ISEAP Attacks
The user also posted an ISEAP claim, published on July 6, published on July 6, of the July 4 machine-gun killing of a spy for the "crusader Philippine government," in Dicalongan barangay of the Ampatuan municipality in Maguindanao del Sur province.[8] He juxtaposed the post with an image of a machine gun being aimed from a concealed location, featuring the time stamp 2024/07/06, suggesting that the photo documents the attack claimed by ISEAP.[9]
The user also shared a 13-second video showing a man being shot repeatedly with both a handgun and machine gun as he lies in the street next to a car. He added the caption "dalwah [sic] Islam [Islamic State]," without specifying which operation is being documented in the video.[10]
Since the deaths of former ISEAP leaders, is likely that there is no longer a single leader whose authority is recognized by all ISEAP operatives. In June 2023, ISEAP's Al-Fursan Media reported that its General Emir, Abu Zacharia, had been killed, and identified his successor as Abu Torayfe.[11] Abu Zacharia's real name was Jer Mimbantas, aka Faharudin Hadji Satar, Abu Bakar, and Omar; Abu Torayfe's real name is Esmael Abdulmalik.[12] A photo distributed by Al-Fursan in July 2023 showed a man named as "Abu Sharifa Al-Filipini, the Emir of Ansar [supporters] of the Caliphate in Philippines."[13]
Unofficial media groups affiliated with ISEAP have a history of documenting their jihad, commemorating martyred commanders and operatives, and issuing messages and threats independently of the central ISIS media bureau.[14]
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