Khair Mundos and His Source of Funding free essay sample

PROFILE OF KHAIR MUNDOS [pic] PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Name : Khair Mohammad Noor Mundos Alias : Abu Ayman Nationality : Filipino Tribe : Samal bangingi Age : 45 up Height : 5’4 Weight : 160 lbs. Hair : baldy Built : medium/ athletic Complexion : fair Status : married Address : Kaum Purnah, Isabela, Basilan Province Affiliation : Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) Other Relevant Informaton: Khair Mohammad Noor Mundos is a high ranking leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group form Kaum Purnah, Isabela, Basilan but the family originally came from Lukbuton in the island of Malamawi. He is known in the organization as Abo Ayman, an alias given to him by ASG Founder Abdurajak Janjalani. Mundos started to become islamically radicalized in the 80s when he studied Arabic at Mahad Basilan Al-Arabie Al-Islamie, the first and oldest Arabic institution in Basilan established by the Egyptian missionaries from the Al-Azhar University in Cairo assigned to preach Islam in Southern Philippines. He was one of the organizers of the Tableegh group which as organized by Janjalani in the 80s in support of the MNLF struggle for an independent state in Mindanao. It was the Tableegh group that initiated the religious programs within the Moro National Liberaton Front (MNLF). Some of the officers of the Tableegh group joined the armed forces of the MNLF and rose to power in the organization such as Ustadz Basiri Jailani who later became the NASCOM chief and then Deputy Chief of Staff. With the advice from ASG Founder Abdurajak Janjalani, Mundos went to Saudi Arabia to work at the same time to help organize a support base in the kingdom for the Abu Sayyaf Group. Mundos assisted Hadji Hasan Jalmaani, a senior member of the group whom Janjalani entrusted the collection of financial support for the Abu Sayyaf in the Middle East with focus on Saudi Arabia. His stay in Saudi Arabia made him work closer with other jihadists which included Mohammad Jamal Khalifa, Abu Abdulla Qassamollah, and Mohammad Saleh Shugair. He collected annual zakat from the Muslim Filipino workers abroad and monthly contributions and other donations to finance the struggle of the Abu Sayyaf Group. INVOLVEMENT IN TERRORISTIC ACTIVITIES OF THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP Mundos played a vital role in the financing of the Abu Sayyaf Group since its beginning when ASG founding leader Ustadz Abdurajak Janjalani started to organize his followers in Basilan, Zamboanga and Sulu in the early 90s until the leadership of Khadaffy and up to the present. The presence of Mundos in Saudi Arabia until 2004 when he was arrested brought millions of money to the funds of the Abu Sayyaf Group. Like Hadji Hasan Jalmaani, the ASG acknowledges his active involvement in the financing of the group, establishing connections with institutions in Saudi Arabia and with wealthy individuals who were supportive of jihad. Mundos was responsible in transferring huge amount of money to his younger brother Borhan, who was then the director of Safinatun Najah Inc. (Ship of Salvation). The younger brother masterminded the series of bombings in Mindanao beginning 2001 that included the bombing of Constar Lodge in General Santos City in July 2001, the bombing of Fitmart Mall in April 2002 and other major bombings that resulted in the deaths of several hundreds of innocent civilians. It was Khair Mundos who coordinated with the arab financiers in Saudi Arabia for the funding of ASG operations in the Philippines while the younger Mundos supervises the bombers in the actual conduct and execution of the bombings. Khair Mundos also played a major role in the propaganda of the organization, convincing arab brothers in the Middle East to send their support t their mujahideen brothers in the Philipines. For several times, Mundos travelled to the Philippines to accompany arab jihadists who desired to see the ASG founding leader Abdurajak Janjalani in person. Among those whom he escorted to Basilan was a certain â€Å"Qassamollah† who came to the country to personally meet Janjalani and vowed to send financial assistance to the latter’s group. During the said trip, Qassamollah brought along him other companions, one of them was allegedly a son of a wealthy general of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Before his arrest in Manila in 2004, Mundos was believed to have established good networking with his arab brothers in Saudi Arabia. His arrest by Philippine authorties in the Philippines for his involvement in financing various bombing operations of the Abu Sayyaf Group, was a big blow to the organization in terms of financing. However, his escape from the Provincial jail of Kidapawan in 2007 made a big difference and boosted the morale of his comrades who welcomed his return. He was immediately recognized as one of the highly-respected leaders of the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan. As the new leader of the Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf, he led several attacks on government troops, recruited more members, and brought more money to the group through the several kidnappings they conducted in Zamboanga and Basilan. A number of public school teachers were kidnapped by Mundos’ group in Zamboanga and Basilan, mostly released after payment of illions of money by the relatives and politicians. His present leadership gave hope to the hearts of the ASG inmates detained in the different detention facilities in the country, particularly in Metro Manila and Basilan. He had committed himself to helping his detained comrades financially and legally. He also vowed to rescue ASG members detained in the provincial jail of Basilan, particularly his close friend Ashraf Kunting, also known as Abo Ramadhan, a top ranking senior leader of the Abu Sayyaf. Abo Ramadhan is a vey important person to the Abu Sayyaf for his active role in sending in millions of money to the group of Khadaffy Janjalani and establishing contacts with financiers in Malaysia. Said person almost succeed in putting up an office for Alharakatul Islamiyyah in Malaysia through the help of government people particularly Senator Sairin. It was also Abo Ramadhan who almost succeeded in transporting large quantity of high powered firearms from Thailand and Malaysia. However, the pressure on the Malaysian government from the American government resulted in the arrest of Abo Ramadhan in Malaysia in 2001 and his deportation to the Philippines to face criminal charges in the country. Both Kunting and Mundos were held together for a long time in one detention facility in Camp Crame. Presently, Kunting is detained in the provincial jail of Basilan where he faces charges for his involvement in the Dos Palmas hostage taking. Aside from Abo Ramadhan, other detained senior leaders of the Abu Sayyaf are hopeful that Mundos will continue to