Thursday, October 12, 2006 Editorial: Rearing its ugly head
THE senseless deaths brought about by the twin bombings that occurred in North Cotabato Tuesday showed that, aside from the fact that it's hunting season again for the terrorists, these people don't take kindly to having the relatives of one of their own seized by government authorities.
It wasn't too long ago when government authorities seized Istiada Oemar Sovie and her two children at one of the airports in the country.
She happens to be the wife of a certain Dulmatin, a suspected Jemaayah Islamiyah (JI) whose track record for terror attacks include links to the Bali bombing in Indonesia that claimed scores of lives.
What was alarming about these bombings is the speed by which they were carried out -- the first bombing in Tampurong, North Cotabato claimed four lives and the second bombing in Malikala town also in the same province claimed at least six lives and more than 20 injured people.
Certainly, the attacks were blamed on the JI who were supposedly being coddled by the Abu Sayaff bandit group and are said to be undergoing training within various parts of Mindanao on assorted technical skills, most especially those of the lethal kind like manufacturing and planting bombs.
Somehow lurking in the aftermath of these explosions is the allegation that some rebels belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) -- or more specifically, factions within the MILF in cahoots with the Abu Sayaff -- are said to be coddling and providing protection for these terrorists, who are getting back on the government for its overt support to the US war on terror.
And wasn't it also sometime ago that the MILF local hierarchy warned of the danger of the suspension of peace talks? Apparently the greater danger lies in these so-called MILF factions protecting these JI militants.
While the talks are proceeding, the MILF should squarely face these allegations and whether they are doing something on their end to quell these activities. Where was this spirit of cooperation that resulted in the capture of some kidnap for ransom leaders?
Though there were speculations and suspicions by some circles that the kidnap for ransom rescues are "scripted" since Marines and other authorities are being kept away while the kidnappers and local officials manage to effect the release of the victims. Sounds fishy but then you never know.
Then again, that's maybe too much to ask for considering that they are doing their own preparations in the event the talks do collapse.
If they do want to show sincerity towards a commitment for peace then this group should start extending cooperation to locate and arrest these terror elements lest they lend suspicion that they are covertly supporting these bombings, as not a few observers have noted and alleged.
At the same time, the local officials should now double their guard as a result of these twin incidents, particularly here in Cagayan de Oro as most of its top officials were said to be embarrassed by the reports of the bombings during their meeting with Australian officials as part of their business mission.
These bomb attacks are part of the changing reality that carries with it the very clear and present danger of terrorism. As such, terror attacks should be met head on as it rears its ugly head right towards our doorsteps.
(October 12, 2006 issue) Write letter to the editor. Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here.
