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MILF may still make the US terror list
The alleged links of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) with global terrorist groups like the Jemaah Islamiya (JI) and al-Qaeda remain a touchy issue that the United States is continuing to scrutinize. "The links are there nobody can deny them the only issue is whether itâs with factions of MILF or with the central group of MILF," US Charge dâ Affaires Joseph Mussolemi said in a press briefing at the USAid Growth with Equity in Mindanao conference room Wednesday. He expressed hope that the peace negotiations with the MILF will be successful so that separatist group will not earn the terrorist tag. "We are concerned about their links with various terrorist organizations such as JI, al-Qaeda, and ASG (Abu Sayyaf group), but the MILF itself has never been designated as a terrorist group at least not yet," he said. Mussolemi said the MILF hierarchy is in "a very difficult situation" because the US does know there are links between the JI and certain factions within the MILF and still the US and Philippine governments are giving them the benefit of the doubt. "Either, number one, theyâre not telling us the truth about their linkages, or number two, they do not have control over their people," he said. "Either one is not a very good situation." He said that if the links are with factions, the MILF hierarchy should be assertive enough to discipline some of its regulars who maintain linkages with terrorists. If the links are with the hierarchy itself, the MILF is being double-faced about its dealings and is not sincere in pursuing the peace negotiations. "One way or the other they need to make some hard decisions, decide what type of organization they want to be. Are they here for the benefit of their people, are they here for some global terrorist Islamic state of some sort? I donât know. But itâs up for them to decide," he said. He, however, did not give a timeframe within which the MILF should prove that its terrorist links are not part and parcel of its official existence as an insurgent group. "Right now, we remain hopeful and we believe that good faith is there on both sides and that a peace accord will be reached," he said. Mussolemi, however, said the terrorist tag and the success of the peace talks are two different matters and shouldnât be taken as a prerequisite of the other. "I would be very reluctant to use the terrorist tag as incentive for people to sit down in good faith and reach a peace accord. Thatâs not the way. That sort of pressure and undue influence will not be productive," he said. Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-06-09 |
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