Looted Cash, Gold Helps ISIS Recruit in Philippines

Looted Cash, Gold Helps ISIS Recruit in Philippines
Community leaders survey damaged houses and buildings inside war-torn Marawi, Philippines Jan. 13, 2018. Reuters/Tom Allard
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MARAWI CITY, Philippines–Islamist terrorists looted cash, gold and jewelry worth tens of millions of dollars when they occupied a southern Philippines town last year, treasure one of their leaders has used to recruit around 250 fighters for fresh attacks.

The military said Humam Abdul Najib escaped from Marawi City, which the terrorists had hoped to establish as a stronghold for ISIS in Southeast Asia, before it was recaptured by the military in October after five months of ferocious battles and aerial bombardment.