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Guns, ransoms and radicalism
A fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group in the Philippines
Iris Van de Voort, 2689931
Faculteit der Rechtsgeleerdheid
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Master Opsporingscriminologie
dr. Jasper de Bie
Terrorism & Security
March 30th 2025
Wordcount: 4000
, 2
Table of contents
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………..……….………3
2. Does ASG qualify as a terrorist group?………….…………………………..……...……4
2.1 Defining terrorism……………………………………….......................................4
2.2 ASG’s initial goal……………………………………………...………….……….4
2.3 A shift in modus operandi…………………………………...…...........................5
2.4 ASG designated a terrorist group…………………………………….……...…..5
2.5 Characteristics of ASG…………………………………………………………...6
3. Counterterrorism…………………...……………………………………………....….......6
3.1 Demands and legitimacy……………………...………………………...………...6
3.2 Situation in the Philippines…………...………………………...………………...7
3.3 Counterterrorism responses…………...………………………...……………….7
3.4 Successful? …………...………………………...……………….…………...……8
4. Disengagement………………………...……………………………...……………...…......9
4.1 Disengagement versus deradicalisation……...………………………...………...9
4.2 Disengagement initiatives in the Philippines…………......…...………………...9
4.3 Reasons for desistance…………………………………………………………..10
5. Conclusion and discussion……………….……….………………………………..…......10
6. Bibliography.…………………………...………………………………………...….........13
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1. Introduction
Terrorism has posed a persistent threat in the Philippines for many decades (Tejeda,
2024). Several groups, including ISIS-East Asia and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), have
actively engaged in terrorist activities in the Philippines (United States Department of State
(USDS), 2025). In this paper the ASG will be analysed. ASG was formed in 1991 when it
separated from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (National Counterterrorism Center
(NCTC), 2014). ASG was founded by Abdurajak Janjalani, who became radicalised after
travelling to Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan (Mapping Militant Organizations (MMO),
2022). Janjalani received military training in the Middle East where he met leaders of Islamic
extremist groups like Usama bin Laden and Ramzi Yousef (Parliament of Australia, n.d.).
Following these encounters, Janjalani sought to establish an independent Islamic state in the
southern Philippines (MMO, 2022). When Janjalani was killed by the police in 1998, the
group split into two fractions (NCTC, 2014). Over the past two decades, ASG has carried out
numerous terrorist acts, including bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions
(NCTC, 2014). While Christianity is the dominant religion in the Philippines, comprising
approximately 88% of the population (Philippine Census, 2000), Islam is the dominant
religion in the southern islands (NCTC, 2014; Philippine Census, 2000). Especially
Mindanao, the second biggest island in the Philippines, has a large Muslim community
(Cullinane et al., 2025; Sumpter, n.d). ASG’s primary objective is to establish an Islamic State
in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago (Singh, 2018).
Currently, terrorism remains a significant threat in the Philippines. Many
governments, including those of Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United
States, caution travellers against visiting the southern islands due to the ongoing threat of
terrorist attacks and kidnappings (Canada, 2025; Commonwealth & Development Office,
2024; Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, 2023; Philippines Travel Advisory, 2024).
This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of ASG by addressing the following
research question: How can the Abu Sayyaf Group be defined and characterised, what
counter-terrorism approaches have been adopted in response to the Abu Sayyaf Group and to
what extent and why have these approaches been successful and to what extent are there any
known cases of successful disengagement and/or deradicalisation?
This study is a literature review based on sources retrieved from online databases such
as Web of Science, JSTOR, Google Scholar and the VU library. When a useful paper was
found, the bibliography was scanned to identify more useful papers. Other sources used in this
paper are government websites, news websites and counterterrorism websites like the
Guns, ransoms and radicalism
A fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group in the Philippines
Iris Van de Voort, 2689931
Faculteit der Rechtsgeleerdheid
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Master Opsporingscriminologie
dr. Jasper de Bie
Terrorism & Security
March 30th 2025
Wordcount: 4000
, 2
Table of contents
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………..……….………3
2. Does ASG qualify as a terrorist group?………….…………………………..……...……4
2.1 Defining terrorism……………………………………….......................................4
2.2 ASG’s initial goal……………………………………………...………….……….4
2.3 A shift in modus operandi…………………………………...…...........................5
2.4 ASG designated a terrorist group…………………………………….……...…..5
2.5 Characteristics of ASG…………………………………………………………...6
3. Counterterrorism…………………...……………………………………………....….......6
3.1 Demands and legitimacy……………………...………………………...………...6
3.2 Situation in the Philippines…………...………………………...………………...7
3.3 Counterterrorism responses…………...………………………...……………….7
3.4 Successful? …………...………………………...……………….…………...……8
4. Disengagement………………………...……………………………...……………...…......9
4.1 Disengagement versus deradicalisation……...………………………...………...9
4.2 Disengagement initiatives in the Philippines…………......…...………………...9
4.3 Reasons for desistance…………………………………………………………..10
5. Conclusion and discussion……………….……….………………………………..…......10
6. Bibliography.…………………………...………………………………………...….........13
, 3
1. Introduction
Terrorism has posed a persistent threat in the Philippines for many decades (Tejeda,
2024). Several groups, including ISIS-East Asia and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), have
actively engaged in terrorist activities in the Philippines (United States Department of State
(USDS), 2025). In this paper the ASG will be analysed. ASG was formed in 1991 when it
separated from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (National Counterterrorism Center
(NCTC), 2014). ASG was founded by Abdurajak Janjalani, who became radicalised after
travelling to Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan (Mapping Militant Organizations (MMO),
2022). Janjalani received military training in the Middle East where he met leaders of Islamic
extremist groups like Usama bin Laden and Ramzi Yousef (Parliament of Australia, n.d.).
Following these encounters, Janjalani sought to establish an independent Islamic state in the
southern Philippines (MMO, 2022). When Janjalani was killed by the police in 1998, the
group split into two fractions (NCTC, 2014). Over the past two decades, ASG has carried out
numerous terrorist acts, including bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions
(NCTC, 2014). While Christianity is the dominant religion in the Philippines, comprising
approximately 88% of the population (Philippine Census, 2000), Islam is the dominant
religion in the southern islands (NCTC, 2014; Philippine Census, 2000). Especially
Mindanao, the second biggest island in the Philippines, has a large Muslim community
(Cullinane et al., 2025; Sumpter, n.d). ASG’s primary objective is to establish an Islamic State
in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago (Singh, 2018).
Currently, terrorism remains a significant threat in the Philippines. Many
governments, including those of Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United
States, caution travellers against visiting the southern islands due to the ongoing threat of
terrorist attacks and kidnappings (Canada, 2025; Commonwealth & Development Office,
2024; Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, 2023; Philippines Travel Advisory, 2024).
This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of ASG by addressing the following
research question: How can the Abu Sayyaf Group be defined and characterised, what
counter-terrorism approaches have been adopted in response to the Abu Sayyaf Group and to
what extent and why have these approaches been successful and to what extent are there any
known cases of successful disengagement and/or deradicalisation?
This study is a literature review based on sources retrieved from online databases such
as Web of Science, JSTOR, Google Scholar and the VU library. When a useful paper was
found, the bibliography was scanned to identify more useful papers. Other sources used in this
paper are government websites, news websites and counterterrorism websites like the
