Incident Summary:
08/11/2008: On Monday morning around 0845, in Tipo Tipo, Basilan, Philippines, about 300 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) assailants attacked the town and fired upon a crowd, killing two civilians, one marine, 15 MILF fighters, wounding two marines, one paramilitary trooper, and kidnapping three police officers. MILF proceeded to take over and occupy the entire town by 1600. The occupation was to protest the conduct of the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. MILF fled the town that night around 1930. The assailants also burned an undetermined number of houses, damaging the houses but causing no further casualties. The outcome of the kidnapping is still unknown. No group claimed responsibility, although authorities suspected the MILF was responsible.
Overview
GTD ID:
200808110026
When:
2008-08-11
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Southeast Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Basilan
City:
Tipo Tipo
Location Details:
The attack took place in Tipo Tipo.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Military |
Name of Entity |
Philippine Marine Corp |
Specific Description |
The target was the marines. |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Target Type: Police |
Name of Entity |
Tipo Tipo Law Enforcement |
Specific Description |
The target was the police officers. |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
The target was civilians and the town. |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
3 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Outcome |
Unknown |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Incendiary |
Arson/Fire |
Weapon Details |
Unknown firearms and fire were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The available sources stated that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacked the town around 0845 and fully occupied it by 1600. The MILF was forced to flee that night around 1930. The available sources indicated that there was a fourth target; a Filipino paramilitary trooper. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
300 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
18 Fatalities / 3 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
18 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
15 |
Total Number of Injured |
3 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Philippine Daily Inquirer, "MILF Occupies Basilan Town, 18 Killed," Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 11, 2008, http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/thesoutherncampaign/view.php?db=1&article=20080811-153999 |
GMA News, "Govt Troops Go After Rebels Who Tried to Hit Basilan Town," http://www.gmanews.tv/story/112942/Govt-troops-go-after-rebels-who-tried-to-hit-Basilan-town# (August 11, 2008). |
National Counterterrorism Center, "Two Civilians Killed, One Marine Killed, Two Others Wounded, One Paramilitary Trooper Wounded, Three Police Officers Kidnapped in Armed Attack by Suspected MILF in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan, Philippines," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, January 15, 2010. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties