|
'RSM spokesman' owns up to Glorietta 2 blast
A person who claimed to be the spokesman of the Rajah Sulayman Movement (RSM) on Saturday said the group was responsible for Fridays attack in Makati City that left nine people dead and scores of others injured.A person who claimed to be the spokesman of the Rajah Sulayman Movement (RSM) on Saturday said the group was responsible for Fridays attack in Makati City that left nine people dead and scores of others injured. In a text message to ABS-CBN News, the person who said he was RSM spokesman Ruben Omar Lavilla, alias Sheik Omar, demanded the release of founder Hilarion del Rosario Santos, alias Ahmed Santos. RSM is a terror organization whose members are allegedly composed of Christians who have converted to Islam and reportedly operates in Manila and northern Luzon. It was suspected of carrying out the Rizal bombing in 2000 and Valentines Day bombings in 2004. The text message said RSM had sought the help of Assistant Secretary Severo Catura assigned to the Office of the Executive Secretary but its demand had fallen on deaf ears. National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, meanwhile, said the government will verify if RSM was indeed responsible for the attack. Authorities are still verifying the authenticity of the sender and his claim. Lavilla, a former professor at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, is considered RSMs religious, political and strategic leader. Based on the record of the intelligence community, Lavilla allegedly trained RSMs recruits in the groups hideout in Pangasinan and Tarlac province. In 2002, the military stormed RSMs training bases in both provinces. It was reported that before the raid, Lavilla received P10 million from Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani. The money was purportedly meant for RSMs "operational expenses." Since Santoss capture in 2005, Lavilla served as the groups spokesman. Posted by: tipper 2007-10-20 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=203164 |