Mudzrimar “Mundi” Sawadjaan

Mudzrimar “Mundi” Sawadjaan, is a unit leader and bombmaker of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), who is operating in the Sulu province of southern Philippines.Rambo Talabong, “Mundi Sawadjaan behind Jolo twin bombings, military says,” Rappler, August 27, 2020, https://www.rappler.com/nation/military-report-person-behind-jolo-bombings. Sawadjaan is the suspected mastermind of two major attacks in the city of Jolo, Sulu—the January 2019 cathedral bombings that killed at least 23 people and the August 2020 twin blasts which killed at least 14 people.“Military’s Wesmincom chief disputes reports Abu Sayyaf sub-leader already fled Sulu,” ABS-CBN News, September 1, 2020, https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/01/20/militarys-wesmincom-chief-disputes-reports-abu-sayyaf-sub-leader-already-fled-sulu. According to a Philippine military spokesman, Sawadjaan controls a group of about 40 fighters as of September 2020. He is also the nephew of Hatib Hajan Sawdjaan, the U.S.-designated emir (leader) of ISIS in the Philippines and a Sulu-based commander of ASG.Rambo Talabong, “Mundi Sawadjaan behind Jolo twin bombings, military says,” Rappler, August 27, 2020, https://www.rappler.com/nation/military-report-person-behind-jolo-bombings; “Military seizes alleged hideout of Abu Sayyaf's Mundi Sawadjaan in Sulu,” ABS-CBN News, September 22, 2020, https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/20/military-seizes-alleged-hideout-of-abu-sayyafs-mundi-sawadjaan-in-sulu.

In addition to his uncle, Sawadjaan has several other family members who are or have been members of ASG. In September 2020, his cousin Arsibar Sawadjaan, also an ASG unit leader and bombmaker, was killed in a firefight with Philippine government forces in Patikul, Sulu.Marin Sadongdong, “Cousin of ASG top bomb maker Mundi Sawadjaan killed in Sulu clash — military,” Manila Bulletin, September 28, 2020, https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/28/cousin-of-asg-top-bomb-maker-mundi-sawadjaan-killed-in-sulu-clash-military/. His two brothers Madsmar and Mannul Sawadjaan, who were active in the group’s kidnap-for-ransom activities, were killed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a clash on the Sulu Sea in November 2020.“2 brothers of Jolo bombing suspect, 5 other Abu Sayyaf members killed in sea clash,” CNN Philippines, November 3, 2020, https://www.cnnphilippines.com/regional/2020/11/3/Abu-Sayyaf-members-Sawadjaan-Sulu-Sea.html.

Sawadjaan is the suspected mastermind of two major attacks in Jolo. On January 27, 2019, two suicide bombers, an Indonesian couple, detonated their explosives during Sunday mass at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100. Philippine authorities immediately blamed the attack on an ASG sub-group called Ajang-Ajang (“sons of martyrs”), comprised of a younger generation whose relatives were ASG fighters killed in battle. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Philippine police initially accused ASG leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan of funding and planning the attack. However, a military official later claimed that Mudzrimar Sawadjaan was the mastermind.Richard C. Paddock and Richard Guttierez, “Indonesian Couple Carried out Philippines Cathedral Bombing, Policy Say,” New York Times, July 23, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/world/asia/philippines-bombing-deportees-isis.html; Associated Press, “5 militants linked to deadly church bombing surrender in the Philippines,” South China Morning Post, February 4, 2019, https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2185012/5-militants-linked-deadly-church-bombing-surrender; “Military’s Wesmincom chief disputes reports Abu Sayyaf sub-leader already fled Sulu,” ABS-CBN News, September 1, 2020, https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/01/20/militarys-wesmincom-chief-disputes-reports-abu-sayyaf-sub-leader-already-fled-sulu.

On August 24, 2020, two female suicide bombers carried out twin bombings in Jolo, killing 14 people and injuring 25 others. The first occurred in the middle of the day, when a bomb attached to a motorcycle exploded near two army trucks that were parked in front of a grocery store. The explosion claimed the majority of casualties, including several children. An hour later, another suicide bomber detonated her explosive as she approached two soldiers who were standing guard at a Roman Catholic cathedral. According to the Philippine army chief, both perpetrators were female and widows of militants who worked for ASG. Shortly after the blasts, however, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks in an online statement. Philippine military officials believe it is the worst extremist attack in the Philippines in 2020.Jim Gomez, “14 killed, 75 wounded in bomb attacks in south Philippines,” Associated Press, August 24, 2020, https://apnews.com/article/c23ac98f9ecb64eb8d610c304a95d43c; Agence France-Presse, “Suicide bombers in Philippine attack were militants’ widows: Army,” Jakarta Post, August 26, 2020, https://www.thejakartapost.com/seasia/2020/08/26/suicide-bombers-in-philippine-attack-were-militants-widows-army----------.html. Sawadjaan was the alleged mastermind of the attack, according to Major General Corleto Vinluan, the chief of the AFP’s Western Mindanao Command.Rambo Talabong, “Mundi Sawadjaan behind Jolo twin bombings, military says,” Rappler, August 27, 2020, https://www.rappler.com/nation/military-report-person-behind-jolo-bombings; “Military seizes alleged hideout of Abu Sayyaf's Mundi Sawadjaan in Sulu,” ABS-CBN News, September 22, 2020, https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/20/military-seizes-alleged-hideout-of-abu-sayyafs-mundi-sawadjaan-in-sulu. The Philippines’ National Intelligence Coordinating Agency offered a PHP 3 million (approximately $60,000) reward for information leading to his capture.Danielle Nakpil, “₱6-M bounty up for Jolo blasts’ alleged mastermind, 1 other suspect,” CNN Philippines, August 29, 2020, https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/8/29/Zamboanga-City-gov-t--3-million-reward-arrest-3-Abu-Sayyaf-militants--.html.

Sawadjaan is believed to be hiding out near his home on the island province of Sulu. On October 31, 2020 the Philippine military thwarted a bombing plot in Jolo, Sulu. Authorities uncovered an improvised explosive device (IED) wrapped in coconut leaves, which appeared to have been made by Sawadjaan.“Bombing plot foiled in Sulu,” ABS-CBN News, October 31, 2020, https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/31/20/bombing-plot-foiled-in-sulu. An AFP joint task force is engaged in an ongoing operation in the area in an effort to track down Sawadjaan and his group and bring them into custody.“Military’s Wesmincom chief disputes reports Abu Sayyaf sub-leader already fled Sulu,” ABS-CBN News, September 1, 2020, https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/01/20/militarys-wesmincom-chief-disputes-reports-abu-sayyaf-sub-leader-already-fled-sulu; Danielle Nakpil, “₱6-M bounty up for Jolo blasts’ alleged mastermind, 1 other suspect,” CNN Philippines, August 29, 2020, https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/8/29/Zamboanga-City-gov-t--3-million-reward-arrest-3-Abu-Sayyaf-militants--.html.

Also Known As

Extremist entity
Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
Type(s) of Organization:
al-Qaeda/affiliate, insurgent, ISIS/affiliate, non-state actor, religious, terrorist, violent
Ideologies and Affiliations:
Islamist, jihadist, Salafi, Wahhabi
Position(s):
Unit leader, bombmaker

The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is an Islamist terrorist organization that seeks to establish an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines. ASG is known for kidnapping innocents, including Westerners, for ransom, and beheading captives if their demands are not met.

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