There are several accounts concerning just how the ASG came to be, not all of which have been en- dorsed by its founders. What is considered as a universal truth is that Janjalani and a small group
of followers formed an unnamed group to advance the idea of an
Iranian style Islamic state in the Southern
Philippines 14. This unnamed group was
officially established in 1989 as the Mujahedeen
Commando Freedom Fighters
(MCFF).
After the creation of the MCFF, Janjalani
and his followers formally separated from
the MNLF in 1991.
The MCFF was known as Janjalani’s group
in Mindanao, and this name would later
evolve into what we know today as the Abu
Zamboanga Moros, 1911
4
American security project
Sayyaf Group. This was due to the fact that while in Afghanistan fighting the Soviets, Janjalani developed
the nickname of Abu Sayyaf “in honor of the Afghan resistance leader Professor Abdul Rasul Sayyaf”