|
Monday, April 05, 2004
Leaders condemn arrest of Muslims in terror list
By Raquel C. Bagnol
DAVAO -- An organization of Muslim religious groups condemned Sunday the arrest in Manila recently of several Muslims for alleged terror activities even when there was no sufficient evidence against them.
The Ulama League of the Philippines said in a statement that government must first establish evidence against a Muslim before arresting or harassing any of them.
Following the arrest in Manila of Muslims linked to terror activities, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) told Muslim communities to be on alert for terrorists who enter their communities disguised as missionaries.
Mahmod Mala L. Adilao, who heads an Ulama composed of 250 members, told Sun.Star that government's act of indiscriminately arresting Muslims is painful to fellow Muslims and can affect peace endeavors.
An ustadz (Muslim teacher) was one of those whose picture was published in a national newspaper as one of several most wanted Abu Sayyaf members.
The Muslim teacher, a certain Adzaman, wanted to clear his name and sought Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's help. Accompanied by City Housing Officer Cesar Dataya, Adzaman visited Duterte at his office on Thursday.
Adzaman was brought to the Davao City Police Office after his talk with Duterte, but investigators had to let him go because they could not find any evidence linking him to the Abu Sayyaf.
As missionaries
CBCP president Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, however, did not discount the possibility that some persons out to sow terror have entered Muslim communities disguised as missionaries.
He said it was also not farfetched that these so-called missionaries would try to introduce Muslims to terror activities and rebellion.
Capalla made the warning after the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force arrested recently a number of suspected terrorists in Metro Manila.
Police in Davao City had to let go one of those linked by government to terror acts after finding no evidence against him.
Davao City police office in-charge Supt. Samson Arendain said Adzaman was cooperative with the police. Agents of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) reportedly questioned Adzaman over his alleged involvement in the Davao airport and Sasa wharf bombings last year.
Adzaman said Isafp members asked him to provide them with his photograph so he would no longer be suspected as a terrorist. He added that the photograph of him that came out in a national daily with other suspected terrorists was the one he gave military intelligence agents.
CBCP's Capalla said his group has been meeting with Ulamas to discuss the possibility of terrorists infiltrating Muslim communities and sowing terror in various areas in the country.
"Some Muslim missionaries are coming to the Philippines from Egypt, from Pakistan and they are very good Islamic missionaries. But it is possible that some terrorists are posing as missionaries and infiltrating Muslim communities and inciting them to join the terror activities," he pointed out.
Monitoring needed
He said that in CBCP's meeting with Ulamas, the religious groups were told to monitor their religious schools and mosques because these could be infiltrated.
"I'm saying there is a possibility because they (terrorists) had been to the country already. Remember when the Pope came here, they arrested somebody who is supposed to assassinate the Pope in 1995 there in Quirino Avenue and that guy who has something to do with the world trade bombing in 1998 (is the same guy)," Capalla added.
While several groups have condemned government's all-out campaign against terrorism, the Catholic Church is praising efforts to arrest persons suspected of involvement in terror activities.
"I think civil society should be happy and congratulate the law enforcers who were able to arrest those terrorists," Capalla also said.
He pointed out that the apprehension of the suspected terrorists is laudable because it prevented the occurrence of another tragic incident similar to that in Madrid, Spain, where over a hundred innocent civilians were killed.
Actor Robin Padilla earlier warned the warrantless arrests being conducted by the police and military could affect the decision of the Muslims in the forthcoming May 10 polls.
Muslim leaders also denounced the arrests and called it another form of discrimination. With Marie Neri
(April 5, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
NDF, gov't agree on release of prisoners