Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) said the Marawi attack was designed and facilitated by Malaysians such as Mahmud Ahmad, Mohd Amin Baco and Muhammad Joraimee Awang Raimee.
The high-profile Malaysians in Iraq and Syria, such as Mohammad Wanndy Jedi, had to team up with Indonesians and Filipinos in Katibah Nusantara, the Malay archipelago unit of the IS, TRAC said.
“Wanndy was unable to facilitate any successful attacks in Malaysia, aside from the Movida bar attack, which injured eight people,” TRAC told FMT.
“It is likely that at least 30 Malaysians, probably more, fought in Marawi. But at least 95 Malaysians went to Iraq and Syria.
“In terms of Malaysian participation, Marawi was much ‘grander’ in scope, operations-wise, than anything the Malaysians alone accomplished with IS in Iraq and Syria.”
TRAC in its Summer 2017 report said based on the terror group’s attack claim tallies, the East Asia/Philippines branch of IS was the deadliest franchise outside of Iraq and Syria.
The report said the number of attack claims nearly tripled in the summer of this year to 222 attacks in 21 countries.
Three countries accounted for 175 (nearly 80%) of the 222 claimed attacks — Philippines (99 claims), Afghanistan (43 claims) and Egypt (33 claims).
Just three areas in those countries accounted for 118 (more than 50%) of 222 of the attack claims — Marawi city in southern Philippines (70), Nangahar province in Afghanistan (26) and Egypt’s upper Sinai town El Arish (22), the report further said.
TRAC contended that the three most-hit countries — Philippines, Afghanistan and Egypt — represented IS’ desire to establish its control.
The consortium said its count of the attacks in its Summer 2017 report included both large and small-scale attacks as well as the long-term siege of Marawi city.
The attack claims counted were those printed either by IS’ Amaq News Agency communiques or official statements under the Nashir Media House, the official media outlet of the IS.
More than 1,000 people, mostly militants, were killed in the clashes between rebels and government troops in Marawi. Trouble first erupted there on May 23.
Philippine defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Oct 23 declared the city free of terrorists after a final standoff with “straggling” militants who were cornered in a building by troops.
Forty-two bodies were recovered from the building after the final fighting.
Malaysian fighters were reported to have either been killed or fled the besieged city
A Sabahan teen was seen by hostages fighting troops alongside his father but the Philippine authorities have not confirmed whether the boy had been killed or had survived.
Meanwhile Malaysian police say 53 IS-linked Malaysians, including children and women, are believed to be still in the Middle East following the liberation by coalition forces of the Syrian city of Raqqa, the terror group’s de facto capital.
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