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Saturday, March 12, 2005
MILF told: Turn over terrorists to authorities
MANILA -- The separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) must hand over terrorists allegedly operating in its territory, or risk being listed as a terror organization by foreign governments, a terrorism expert said Friday.
Police and military intelligence say members of the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah and the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf are in areas controlled by the MILF.
Zachary Abuza, who is a senior fellow of the US Institute of Peace, told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines that about seven "hardcore first-generation leaders" of Jemaah Islamiyah who have trained with al-Qaida were in the southern island of Mindanao.
"This is very troubling to me," he said. "I don't believe that they could be there without MILF support."
Although the MILF has denied any links with either Jemaah Islamiyah or the Abu Sayyaf, Abuza said the group needed to take action against the terrorists to stay in the good graces of Manila and other governments.
The group is currently in peace talks with the government to end its decades-long separatist insurgency.
"Arrest them and turn them over," Abuza said. "They (MILF) are in total control of their territory. It's a matter of will."
The MILF's reluctance to pursue terrorists on its territory "is getting completely untenable because at some point, governments are going to lose patience and they (MILF) can potentially be put on the foreign terrorist organization list."
However, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Thursday dismissed reports of alleged links between the MILF and Jemaah Islamiyah.
"Maybe some elements (of the MILF) ... but not the MILF that we are in peace talks with," Arroyo said.
"America will be the last one to put the MILF in the list of terrorists because it is supporting our peace process," she added.
Eduardo Ermita, a former defense secretary, has said the MILF has pledged not to provide sanctuary to members of Jemaah Islamiyah.
Meanwhile, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the rebels and the government were planning to take steps to jointly "interdict and isolate criminal elements," adding Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf could be targeted.
Kabalu also said his group didn't believe Washington would list it as a terror group, citing a letter that U.S. President George W. Bush allegedly sent to the late MILF chieftain Hashim Salamat, acknowledging that it had legitimate grievances that must be addressed in peace talks.
Jemaah Islamiyah and rogue MILF members have been blamed for a series of bombings in Manila in December 2000 that killed 22 people and injured more than 100 others. Jemaah Islamiyah has also been blamed for the 2002 bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali that killed 202 people. (AP)
| Post your experiences to the Sun.Star Graduation section. Click here. | 2005-02-24 04:52:02
mcalvo - My graduation was unforgettable to me and to my classmates. I was so drunk the night before graduation. During the ceremony i dozed to the point of snooring even when i was already standing i was half sleeping. Our dean has to call my name twice and the person behind me has to push me just to wake me up... graduations are memorable...enjoy and congratulations to all graduates!
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(March 12, 2005 issue)
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