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Filippino military preparing to attack JI trainees
The military is girding up for a possible attack on al-Qaeda linked Jemaâah Islamiyah (JI) terrorists, who are training among their newly recruits on bomb making in an area controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Mount Cararao. The area straddles the border of Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur. Col. Horacio Lactao, commander of the Armyâs 603rd Infantry Brigade, told reporters that âforeign-looking menâ were sighted on Mount Cararao several times. Without mentioning the estimated strength of the group, Lactao said the locations of two of three JI lairs, Hubadie and Jabal Cuba, have been verified. âThe training on bomb making, whose participants include selected members of the MILF, continues as of this time. We are prepared. We are just awaiting orders from high headquarters to launch an offensive,â Lactao said. âWe are also looking into the possibility that the money deposited into the account of arrested suspected JI member Jordan Abdullah at the Philippine National Bank in Cotabato was used to finance the training,â he added. Abdullah, 46, a money changer, was arrested by military and police authorities in Cotabato City on April 3 inside the restaurant of El Corazon Hotel. Abdullahâs disappearance was first reported as another case of kidnapping in Central Mindanao, but Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita later announced the arrest and presented him to reporters. MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar, however, denied Lactaoâs claim, saying that the separatist rebel group has no camps on Mount Cararao. âThat issue had been resolved. We have no camps on that mountain because there is no water in there,â Jaafar said. Jaafar said a group of nongovernment organizations, as well as members of the media, were brought by the coordinating committee on cessation of hostilities to investigate the reported JI presence, but it turn out negative. But Lactao noted that not all MILF regulars are allowed to enter the training site. âThatâs the reason why the rebelsâ key leaders are denying the presence of Jemaâah Islamiyah terrorist on Mount Cararao because not all are allowed to enter the area where the training is being held,â Lactao pointed out. He cited as the work of JI members the January 4 explosion this year in Parang, Maguindanao, where almost 20 people died and 81 others were wounded; and the bomb attack outside the headquarters of the Sixth Infantry Division at Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, last year that killed one and injured a dozen others. âWe cannot take any action right now because of the existing cease-fire agreement between the government and the MILF,â Lactao said. He added that Taufel Refke, the suspected JI bagman arrested last October in this city, was sighted on Mount Cararao before his arrest. The military claimed earlier that at least 30 JI Indonesian militants were training in camps maintained by the MILF but the latter denied the allegation. Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-05-24 |
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