By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (AA) -- A Filipino charged for a foiled terror plot on Manhattan, New York, is a doctor who used to practice in the southern city of Marawi.
Russel Salic, 37, is an orthopedic surgeon who used to work at the Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City, among other hospitals, according to Rappler which cited reports of Philippine and US authorities.
Salic who hails from neighboring the Marantao town of Marawi is also facing kidnapping and murder charges, based on the charges of several sawmill workers from Iligan City who were abducted by the Maute Group in Butig, Lanao del Norte, in April 2016.
Prosector's charged Dalic with the murder and kidnapping of sawmill workers, two of them reportedly beheaded.
The complainants positively identified Salic as among those who reportedly held them captive, and alleged that they saw him talking to members of the Maute family.
Salic denied the allegation during the preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice in August. He is also being linked to the Maute local terror group based in Marawi and surrendered to authorities in April 2017.
Authorities said Salic and two other suspects have been charged with planning to carry out the attacks in the name of the Daesh terror group during the month of Ramadan last year.
He was suspected by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Eduardo Año of being involved in terror activities by providing funds and donations to suspected terrorists in the Middle East, U.S., and Malaysia from 2014 up to 2016.
“He (Salic) has been under watch and surveillance for his suspicious activities in coordination with allied foreign intelligence agencies,” Año was quoted as saying.
A Mindanao lawyer, Abdul Jamal Dimaporo, the chief of the National Bureau of Investigation in Iligan City, said the U.S. coordinated with the NBI in January to look for Salic who went into hiding first before finally surrendering to authorities in April.
Salic stands accused of helping to finance plots targeting Times Square, the city’s subway system and New York concert venues, according to federal prosecutors.
U.S. authorities said Friday that Salic had sent “approximately $423” to fund the attacks and had promised to send more, the Inquirer reported.
Accordingly, the U.S. is asking the Philippines to extradite Salic, who was charged along with two other suspected terrorists.
Earlier, Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras said a court in Manila was considering the transfer request from the U.S. government regarding the new allegations made public.
Salic remains in custody in the Philippines for atrocities by Maute group which has been fighting state troops in Marawi for more than four months now.
Meanwhile, a statement released by the US embassy in Manila said Salic transferred money to the other suspects for the operation, saying he could safely do this from the Philippines without attracting attention.
Military said 60 hostages are still in the hands of Maute and that state troops have been given the green light to target hostages forced into carrying firearms by terrorists still holed up in the war-torn city of Marawi to defend themselves.
The local terrorits including a faction of the Abu Sayyaf Group led by Isnilon Hapilon – attacked Marawi City on May 23, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law across Mindanao.