29 Facts About Nur Misuari

Nur Misuari is a Moro Filipino revolutionary and politician, founder and leader of the Moro National Liberation Front.

Nur Misuari was born on March 3,1939, in Tapul, Sulu, Philippines.

Nur Misuari's father was Saliddain Misuari, who worked as a fisherman, and his mother was Dindanghail Pining.

Nur Misuari is a direct descendant of Panglima Mahabasser Elidji, a Tausug warrior and representative from the Sultanate of Sulu who he claims helped the Sultanate of Brunei forces under Sultan Muhyiddin during the civil war in northern Borneo, after which the eastern part of Sabah was rewarded to the Tausugs by Sultan Muhyiddin.

Nur Misuari attended Jolo Central Elementary School from 1949 to 1955 and studied at Sulu National High School for his secondary education from 1955 to 1958.

Nur Misuari's family experienced financial difficulties and could not afford to send him to college.

Nur Misuari's teacher assisted him to acquire a scholarship from the Commission on National Integration, which allowed him to study at the University of the Philippines, Manila.

Nur Misuari initially took up a degree in liberal arts, intending to pursue medicine.

Nur Misuari became active in many of the university's extra-curricular activities, particularly in debate.

Nur Misuari finished his master's degree in Asian studies in 1964 at the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

In 1964, Nur Misuari founded a radical student group called the Bagong Asya.

Until 2016, Nur Misuari had five wives, his first wife was Desdemona Tan, who died of illness in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Nur Misuari, drawn by his distinguished reputation as a professor at the University of the Philippines, became involved with Ansarul Islam.

Nur Misuari helped establish the Mindanao Independence Movement which aimed to organize an independent state in southern Philippines.

Nur Misuari departed to Saudi Arabia in self-exile, returning to the Philippines after Marcos was removed from office during the People Power Revolution in 1986.

Nur Misuari justified the MNLF armed struggle on the non-implementation of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, originally signed by Ferdinand Marcos and later included in the peace agreement signed by former Philippine president Fidel Ramos in the 1990s.

Nur Misuari's enduring legacy of leadership laid the foundation for the peace efforts his grandson would continue to advance.

However the Malaysian leader at the time, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resisted by saying; "We cannot entertain asylum as Nur Misuari had not used his powers correctly although we provide support for him in the past for his bid on autonomy that saw the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ".

Nur Misuari was then deported back to the Philippines, and removed from his office by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2001 before being arrested in 2007 on charges of terrorism.

The Philippine court however, granted the bail petition of Nur Misuari's seven co-accused, at 100,000 pesos.

On September 9,2013, Nur Misuari was convicted of his rebels encounter with the Armed Forces of the Philippines which saw massive casualties and thousands of residents been affected.

Nur Misuari had since been living in self-exile and insisted that they were attacked by the AFP.

Nur Misuari went on accusing neighboring Malaysia by claiming that Malaysia was using Moro people for kidnappings since the 2000 Sipadan kidnappings and said that he wanted to drag the country leaders to International Criminal Court, saying that "the [pieces of] evidence are available as his people are everywhere and Malaysia cannot escape as because they are continuing to hire Moro people".

Malaysian state assemblyman from Senallang of Semporna Nasir Tun Sakaran urged Nur Misuari to give his evidence and name any Malaysian politicians who he claimed was involved as any allegation must be accompanied by evidence.

Malaysian Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee persuaded Nur Misuari to prove his allegation if his claim was true, while Kinabatangan member of parliament Bung Moktar Radin said he was not surprised by the accusation towards Malaysian politicians as he had seen similar talks occur in Malaysia coffeeshops, but stressed if the allegation was true then the Malaysian authorities must take action on any individuals involved.

Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim began investigations to verify claims by Nur Misuari and admitted there could be involvement of certain groups.

Nur Misuari stated that he wouldn't sit on the same negotiating table with MILF who he described as "traitors", as well accusing fellow MNLF faction Muslimin Sema and ARMM Governor Mujib Hataman of "associating with drug lords and involvement in the 2016 Davao City bombing".

Nur Misuari was charged with 3 counts of graft and 3 counts of malversation of non-existent educational materials.

Nur Misuari was found guilty of two counts of graft but acquitted of two counts of malversation and allowed to post Bail.