Philippines bombing: Key suspect arrested

The arrested person was identified as Jafar Gamo Sultan.

"Combined troops of Task Force Marawi and Marawi City police captured on December 6 a certain Jafar Gamo Sultan, a.k.a. Jaf/Kurot, who is one of the accomplices in the bombing at Mindanao State University last week," the forces said in a statement.

"The suspect, who was apprehended in an operation in Brgy Dulay Proper in Marawi, is companion of a certain Omar, the person identified by witnesses to have placed the improvised explosive device at the Dimaporo Gymnasium. Also seized by troops are two motorcyles," the statement said.

Terrorist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack, which occurred on December 3 at Dimaporo Gym during a Catholic mass, left four people dead.

On Wednesday (December 6, 2023), Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said that the suspects were members of the Maute group under the command of Dawlah Islamiyah, reported PhilStar.

The two suspects were identified by the PNP as Kadapi Mimbesa also known as "Engineer" and Arsani Membisa alias "Lapitos", reported the newspaper.