KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's most wanted terrorist, Dr Mahmud Ahmad, is still alive and may have escaped from Marawi, Phillipines.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the university lecturer-turned-militant might have fled with Abu Sayaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon.
"Philippines authorities informed us that Isnilon Hapilon believed to have escaped Marawi, so most probably Dr Mahmud is with him.
"We cannot confirm that, but a friend in the Philippines told us that he is still alive," he told reporters at police Hari Raya open house at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman this morning.
Isnilon Hapilon, a veteran Filipino militant is said to be the leader of Islamic State in Southeast Asia. He is also one of America's most wanted terrorist.
The Philippines military had earlier said that Mahmud was wounded in the fighting in Marawi last month and died on June 7 of his wounds.
Khalid has on Friday denied that Mahmud has been killed in southern Philippines.
It was previously reported that Mahmud who is highly regarded by fighters battling government security forces in the southern Philippines, had assumed a leadership role among Maute militants.