Panic about IS in the Philippines masks a very real war in the country

Tom Smith

Panic about IS in the Philippines masks a very real war in the country

Centre for European & International Studies Research

Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article

Abstract

For the past six months, the Philippine Army has been ramping up an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group. President Rodrigo Duterte talks about “going full force in all-out operations against it”, framing the operation as a crackdown on a group with links to Islamic State. But the connection is tenuous.

Original language	English
Specialist publication	The Conversation
Publication status	Published - 3 Oct 2016

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Philippines
Abu Sayyaf
insurgency
conflict
IS
ISIS
Islamic State
Al Qaeda
jihadism
terrorism

Access to Document

The Bondi attack and a false narrative: The recurring myth of “terror training camps” in the Philippines
Smith, T., 23 Dec 2025, Asia Sentinel.
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article

Open Access
Mujahideen in Marawi: how local jihadism in the Philippines tried to go global
Smith, T. & Franco, J., 9 Jul 2020, Exporting Global Jihad: Critical Perspectives from Asia and North America. Smith, T. & Schulze, K. (eds.). I. B. Tauris, Vol. 2. p. 37-53 17 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

Open Access

Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the UK (External organisation)
Smith, T. (Member)
2015 → …
Activity: Membership types › Membership of network or group

CBS - Bondi Beach attack probe yields no evidence of "broader terrorist cell," police say
Smith, T.
30/12/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
The Sunday Times - Did Bondi beach suspects try to meet Isis in the Philippines?
Smith, T.
20/12/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
CBS - Philippine hotel in Davao City says Bondi Beach suspects stayed for a month and were there every night
Smith, T.
18/12/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment
CBS - Bondi Beach suspects reportedly trained in the Philippines, where there's a decades-old Islamist insurgency
Smith, T.
17/12/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment

Cite this

@misc{309a5596b27f497d881b16eacb44634d,

title = "Panic about IS in the Philippines masks a very real war in the country",

abstract = "For the past six months, the Philippine Army has been ramping up an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group. President Rodrigo Duterte talks about “going full force in all-out operations against it”, framing the operation as a crackdown on a group with links to Islamic State. But the connection is tenuous.",

keywords = "Philippines, Abu Sayyaf, insurgency, conflict, IS, ISIS, Islamic State, Al Qaeda, jihadism, terrorism",

author = "Tom Smith",

year = "2016",

month = oct,

day = "3",

language = "English",

journal = "The Conversation",

}

TY - GEN

T1 - Panic about IS in the Philippines masks a very real war in the country

AU - Smith, Tom

PY - 2016/10/3

Y1 - 2016/10/3

N2 - For the past six months, the Philippine Army has been ramping up an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group. President Rodrigo Duterte talks about “going full force in all-out operations against it”, framing the operation as a crackdown on a group with links to Islamic State. But the connection is tenuous.

AB - For the past six months, the Philippine Army has been ramping up an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group. President Rodrigo Duterte talks about “going full force in all-out operations against it”, framing the operation as a crackdown on a group with links to Islamic State. But the connection is tenuous.

KW - Philippines

KW - Abu Sayyaf

KW - insurgency

KW - conflict

KW - IS

KW - ISIS

KW - Islamic State

KW - Al Qaeda

KW - jihadism

KW - terrorism

M3 - Article

JO - The Conversation

JF - The Conversation

ER -

Panic about IS in the Philippines masks a very real war in the country

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

The Bondi attack and a false narrative: The recurring myth of “terror training camps” in the Philippines

Mujahideen in Marawi: how local jihadism in the Philippines tried to go global

Activities

Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the UK (External organisation)

Press/Media

CBS - Bondi Beach attack probe yields no evidence of "broader terrorist cell," police say

The Sunday Times - Did Bondi beach suspects try to meet Isis in the Philippines?

CBS - Philippine hotel in Davao City says Bondi Beach suspects stayed for a month and were there every night

CBS - Bondi Beach suspects reportedly trained in the Philippines, where there's a decades-old Islamist insurgency

Cite this