Bangkok: The United States has put a 26-year-old Malaysian man on a list of most wanted terrorists as Philippine troops intensify an offensive against violent jihadists in the southern Philippines.

Malaysian police say that from an Islamic State base in Syria, Muhammad Wanndy Mohamad Jedi has been using social media to recruit Malaysians and plot terrorist attacks.

Malaysian police say Muhammad Wanndy Mohamad Jedi (right) has been using social media to recruit Malaysians and plot terrorist attacks. Credit:Facebook/Star

On his public Facebook page under the name Abu Hamzah al-Fateh, Wanndy ridiculed his listing by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, saying it would only make him more cautious about his movements and communications.

The US says Wanndy is a senior leader of a group of hundreds of Malay-speaking fighters in a unit called Katibah Nusantara who are under Islamic State's control in the Middle East.