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| Southeast Asia |
| MILF Sez "We Was Framed!" |
| 2003-06-23 |
| EFL The continuing saga of peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has taken another twist with Sundayâs announced find by the Army of bomb-making ingredients and paraphernalia in Maguindanao following three hours of firefight with Moro rebels. Alluding to the MILFâs peace gesture of renouncing terrorism -- one of the demands of the government -- President Arroyo said Monday the State will adopt a policy of âcalibrated responseâ to rebel actions: a confidence-building move will merit a parallel move, but any new act of terrorism will be met with full military might. âOur will for peace is only matched by our will to defeat terrorism,â Mrs. Arroyo declared at the launching of the Pasig River Redevelopment Project at the Plaza del Mexico, Mulle del Rio in Intramuros. The President noted that Sundayâs denunciation of terrorism by the MILF unfortunately came with the discovery of the huge explosives caché, topped by 450 kilos of C4. Unfortunately for the MILF The Army said it stumbled on this after fighting rebels in barangay Payan, Kabuntalan, Maguindanao, on Saturday. The MILF spokesman, Eid Kabalu, told Today Sunday night it was apparently âplantedâ because, he said, the place of encounter is a marshy area, therefore not a logical place for storing explosives. I don't know, seems like a good place to me. The military command in Central Mindanao is trying to find out where the huge caché of explosives seized on Saturday had come from, Maj. Gen. Generoso Senga, 6th Infantry Division commander, said on Monday. His troops had found the explosives caché after a firefight with alleged MILF rebels in a remote part of Maguindanao. Senga did not say, however, if they will file charges of illegal possession of explosives against the MILF. Does seems a bit redundent. Senga claimed that they found 450 kilos of C4 plastic explosives, usually used only by the military here but a favorite of terrorists abroad although that of the Czech variety called Semtex; 182 kilos of gunpowder, fuses and tools. Senga said the seized bomb components only bolstered the militaryâs belief that the MILF is engaged in terrorist activities in the country. Like we needed more proof In a letter to President Arroyo, Hashim Salamat had denied they were engaged in terrorism, however, and explained they are a liberation force and do not engage and will not engage in terrorism. Saying he is familiar with the area, Kabalu blasted the military and asked, âHow could there be a weapons factory there when the place is submerged in water? The place is a marshy area. The bomb components do not belong to us but to the military.â "Lies, all lies" Senga had countered by saying the bomb ingredients were found inside a small boat, claiming further that the MILF fighters tried but failed to blow up the explosive items âin order to erase the evidence that they are involved in terrorist activities.â Somebody was more concerned with getting away than with getting rid of the evidence. Nice catch, keep up the pressure. |
| Posted by:Steve |