| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| 82 JI members identified in Mindanao |
| 2005-10-23 |
| AT LEAST 82 Jemaah Islamiyah (Jl) terrorists in Mindanao are in the military's order of battle. Armed Forces Southern Command Chief Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan said the terrorists from Indonesia could have already left the Philippines. "More or less 82 (Jl) are listed in our order of battle," Adan said. "But the question is, are they still in 'the Philippines? They may or may not be." We are not very sure because they could move - they could go outside the country. The Jl terrorists change their names after they have sneaked into the country, he said. Adan said Dulmatin, a key suspect in the 2002 Bali bombings in Indonesia that killed 202 mostly Australian tourists, is in the long list. The strategy of Australia is to move the battle against the terrorists down to their breeding ground, parts of which are in Mindanao. "Australia also realized - that again their citizens were victims - and since it possible the Jl perpetrators were trained in the Philippines, it is their interest as well to help the Philippines in preventing, denying the use of Philippine territory in the training of their regional terrorists of Jl," he said. Adan said he viewed the strategy of visiting Australian Minister of Defense Robert Mill to fight terrorists was the right one. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 It must be a great relief for the Phils to know the 82 members of JI have left. But only after they received 3 months of bomb making training. The Ozzies and Malays should be happy that the Phils have allowed them to move to their countries. Adan and GMA should be held accountable for the next round of bombings. |
| Posted by: 49 pan 2005-10-23 09:08 |