IGP confirms Malaysian militant Joraimee killed in Philippines

PETALING JAYA: Police have confirmed that Malaysian militant Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee (pic) was killed in Marawi City in the Philippines.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun confirmed with The Star that Muhammad Joraimee, also known as Abu Nur, was dead.

"Yes, he was killed on Sept 28, 2017 in southern Philippines," he said via a WhatsApp message on Tuesday.

However, Fuzi did not reveal whether Mohammad Joraimee's body was confirmed using DNA analysis as had been reported by a news portal.

The portal, Benar News, reported the Philippine military's Western Mindanao Command's commanding officer Lt Gen Carlito Galvez as saying that Malaysia had confirmed the militant's death through DNA testing.

The Star reported on Oct 1 that the 42-year-old Joraimee was believed to be among 15 persons killed in aerial bombings as Filipino troops regained control of Bato Mosque, which was used as the Islamic State (IS) command centre in Marawi City, Mindanao.

The former Selayang Municipal Council contract worker had become the most trusted lieutenant of Universiti Malaya professor-turned-militant Dr Mahmud Ahmad while hiding in the jungle with the Abu Sayyaf terror group in Basilan, southern Philippines.

Joraimee and Dr Mahmud were among the key planners of the May 23 Marawi attack with Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and the Maute brothers – Abdullah and Omarkhayam – for the creation of a caliphate in South-East Asia.

Joraimee is the third Malaysian known to have been killed in the Marawi city siege which is entering its fourth month.

Intelligence sources identified the two Malaysians killed in May as Abdurahman Asmawi from Kelantan and Dr Kamsa Yahya from Kedah.