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| Southeast Asia |
| JI still training new recruits in Mindanao |
| 2005-09-15 |
| DENYING reports that members of the al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiah are recruiting students of the University of Southern Mindanao, Mayor Luz Tan of Kabacan instead alleged that the Indonesian-based terror group is training out-of-school youths from Alamada, Sultan Kudarat and Isulan to carry out terror attacks in key areas in Mindanao. âThey are not USM students but out-of-school youths from evacuation cenÂters,â he said. Tan confirmed the presence of Jemaah Islamiah after two alleged members were captured in Midsayap, Cotabato, and taken into custody for interrogation. He alleged that the members being interrogated include out-of-school youth trainees from Bagumbayan, Alamada, Matingao and Isulan. âThere were two monthsâ actual training at the Matingao Agricultural Development Education and South Matingao in Barangay Manapad, Carmen, Cotabato,â Tan said. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has intensified its round-the-clock antiterror drive following reports that Maguindanao is the training ground for new recruits of Jemaah Islamiah and Abu Sayyaf Group. The AFP strengthen its security in all key government installations in Maguindanao, especially power, communication and water facilities, following intelligence reports of impending terrorist attacks. Military reports confirmed that a new batch of trainees graduated after one month of training in areas of Maguindanao that the military refused to identify. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |