Two Charged for Assassination Attempt on Prominent Saudi Lecturer Al-Qarni

Zamboanga City, Philippines, 25 Jumadil Awwal 1437/05 March 2016 (MINA) – Police Friday filed charges against two men said to be accomplices of the gunman in the failed assassination of two Saudi Arabian clerics.

Police spokesman Senior Inspector Helen Galvez said charges of frustrated murder and attempted murder were filed against Junaide Saleh Cadir and Mujer Amilasan Abubakar.

The two were tagged as companions of Rugasan Kiliste Misuari III who was killed by responding lawmen shortly after he shot Aidh Al-Qarni, prominent Saudi Islamic lecturer, and Sheikh Turki Assaegh, religious attaché of the Saudi embassy in Manila, Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) reported, quoting Philstar..

After Misuari was shot, Cadir and Abubakar were arrested while trying to slip out the campus of Western Mindanao State University on Tuesday.

Galvez said the suspects agreed to remain under police custody pending completion of preliminary investigation proceedings.

“They were really in denial of any participation,” Galvez said.

Police said nine witnesses came out with sworn statements tagging the two suspects as companions of Misuari.

Meanwhile, the police were also considering looking into the possible involvement of the videographer of the viral footage showing Misuari attacking the two Saudi clerics.

Witnesses said the still unnamed videographer appeared to be unnerved but showed no panic even as the gunman passed in front of him while cocking the handgun towards the vehicle before the attack.

The footage showed the videographer slightly lowering the camera’s viewfinder to avoid catching the image of the suspect, who transits in front while going to the other side of the targets’ vehicle.

The suspect was later seen dead on the ground next to the vehicle.

Acting police chief Supt. Luisito Magnaye said the investigation is continuing to determine the motive of the attack.

On a presidential directive, Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento went to Zamboanga on Thursday to personally oversee the investigation of the incident.

A special task group was formed by the Philippine National Police.

Sarmiento and Magnaye, however, said they could not say if the incident had links with the Islamic State (IS), which had listed Al-Qarni as among its targets. (R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)