Mahmud Ahmad

Mahmud bin Ahmad
Mahmud bin Ahmad
Born	25 September 1978; Batu Caves, Gombak District, Selangor, Malaysia
Died	7 June 2017 (aged 38); Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Philippines
Nationality	Malaysian

Dr. Mahmud bin Ahmad, known as Abu Handzalah (25 September 1978 – 7 June 2017), was a Malaysian professor of Islamic law and a senior Islamic militant with Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines.

History

He was born in Batu Caves, Gombak District, Selangor.

In the 1990s he travelled to Pakistan to study, where he obtained two bachelor's degrees from the International Islamic University, Islamabad. In the late 1990s he is said to have attended an Al-Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan. He has a master's degree from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a Doctoral degree from the University of Malaya. While teaching at the University of Malaya, he was a senior lecturer in the Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought in the Academy of Islamic Studies.^[1]

According to fellow teachers at the University of Malaya, it was in late 2013 that he began expressing openly his views with respect to jihad. He wrote a journal titled "Faith of the Mujahidin" and founded a religious school called Open Tahfiz Centre.^[2]

In March 2014, he arranged for at least four Malaysians to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

He has been on the Malaysian most wanted list since he travelled to the Philippines in July 2014.^[3]

According to the head of the Philippine Armed Forces, General Eduardo Año, he was killed on 7 June 2017 along with 13 militants during the Battle of Marawi in the Philippines.^[4]^[5] It was alleged Mahmud funnelled over 30 million pesos from the Islamic State to gain firearms, food and other supplies to finance the militants' siege on Marawi. However, Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he believed Mahmud is still alive.^[6]

References

^ "Pensyarah UM Antara Yang Dikehendaki PDRM". TV 14 (in Burmese). 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
^ "UM lecturer preached martyrdom and holy war, colleagues say". The Malay Mail. 3 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
^ "Mahmud – a lecturer turned deadly militant". The Star. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
^ "Malaysian financier in Marawi siege believed to be dead". The Philippine Star. Associated Press. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
^ "Report: Former UM lecturer-turned-militant killed in Marawi battle". The Malay Mail. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
^ "Philippines: IS funded siege through Malaysian militant". AP News. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.

[1] "Pensyarah UM Antara Yang Dikehendaki PDRM". TV 14 (in Burmese). 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.

[2] "UM lecturer preached martyrdom and holy war, colleagues say". The Malay Mail. 3 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.

[3] "Mahmud – a lecturer turned deadly militant". The Star. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.

[4] "Malaysian financier in Marawi siege believed to be dead". The Philippine Star. Associated Press. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.

[5] "Report: Former UM lecturer-turned-militant killed in Marawi battle". The Malay Mail. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.

[6] "Philippines: IS funded siege through Malaysian militant". AP News. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2019.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Militant Islamism in Southeast Asia
Ideology	Islamism Jihadism Salafi jihadism Pan-Islamism
Phenomena	Islamic extremism Islamic fundamentalism Islamic terrorism
Organisations	Abu Sayyaf Al-Ma'unah Ansar Khalifa Philippines Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters Barisan Revolusi Nasional Darul Islam Front for the Liberation of Champa Indonesian Mujahedeen Council Islamic Liberation Front of Patani Jamaah Ansharusy Syariah Jemaah Islamiyah Jamaah Ansharut Daulah Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid Khalifa Islamiyah Mindanao Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia Laskar Jihad Maute group Moro Islamic Liberation Front Mujahedeen KOMPAK Mujahidin Indonesia Timur Patani United Liberation Organisation Pattani Islamic Mujahideen Movement Runda Kumpulan Kecil United Mujahideen Front of Pattani
Leaders	Abdullah Sungkar Abu Bakar Bashir Abu Sabaya Abdurajik Abubakar Janjalani Ataullah abu Ammar Jununi Azahari Husin Dulmatin Khadaffy Janjalani Les Kosem Mahmud Ahmad Murad Ebrahim Noordin Mohammad Top Nur Misuari Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosoewirjo Zulkifli Abdhir
Events	South Thailand insurgency Timeline of events Islamic insurgency in the Philippines Cross border attacks in Sabah Insurgency in Aceh 1985 Borobudur bombing Sauk Siege Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia bombings 2000 Sipadan kidnappings 2000 Philippine consulate bombing Rizal Day bombings Dos Palmas kidnappings Singapore embassies attack plot 2002 Bali bombings 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing 2004 Palopo cafe bombing 2004 SuperFerry 14 bombing Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta 2005 Tentena market bombings 2005 Bali bombings 2005 Indonesian beheadings of Christian girls 2005 Palu market bombing 2007 Basilan beheading incident 2009 Jakarta bombings 2013 Ekayana Monastery bombing Mamasapano clash 2016 Jakarta attacks 2016 Movida Bar grenade attack 2016 Davao City bombing 2016 Samarinda church bombing 2017 Jakarta bombings 2018 Mako Brimob standoff Surabaya bombings 2018 Lamitan bombing 2019 Jolo Cathedral bombings 2020 Jolo bombings 2021 Makassar cathedral bombing Indonesian National Police headquarters shooting Datu Paglas market occupation Indonesian People's Da'wah Party crackdown Istana Negara attempted shooting Astana Anyar bombing 2024 Ulu Tiram police station attack
Part of Islamism Militant Islamism in MENA region South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa