Western intelligence has discovered a new training course for regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah under way in the southern Philippines. Sources say intelligence estimates between 20 and 30 Indonesians are attending the course. The length the course will go for is uncertain, with estimates ranging from six weeks to several months. Because of heightened surveillance, it is not possible for JI to conduct courses for larger numbers than this. The course is taking place at a JI camp in a territory controlled by the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The MILF officially denies links with JI but security sources throughout Southeast Asia are convinced JI not only runs training camps in MILF-controlled areas, but that it does so with the full knowledge and approval of MILF leaders. JI has not conducted operations with the MILF as far as we know, but has worked together with the even more violent but smaller Abu Sayyaf group, which has close al-Qa'ida links. JI is believed to have helped Abu Sayyaf in blow up a ferry in the Philippines earlier this year. The blast killed more than 100 people.
The ability of JI to continue training operations in the southern Philippines is one of the greatest frustrations faced by Southeast Asian security forces. A key regional and US demand on the MILF is that it stops affording training facilities to JI in the areas it controls. However, the MILF has refused to negotiate meaningfully on this, claiming there are no JI camps in its territory. | "It's hard to say. All those heavily armed, masked men won't let us go in to have a look." |
Sources say the JI training course under way in the southern Philippines covers explosives and weapons training, physical training, as well as learning how to plan a terrorist operation effectively, how to undertake observation in preparation for an attack, as well as various techniques demanded in urban and jungle environments. | My fave is "Zakat and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 101" and the required lab course, "Riding Pillion Style." |
There is also deep ideological training to psychologically prepare terrorists for operations. | "Hare krishna, hare krishna, krishna krishna, hare hare..." |
|