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| Southeast Asia |
| MILF promises to hand over list of renegade commanders |
| 2005-05-30 |
| THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) vowed to run after suspected Islamic militants within its ranks and territories to show its sincerity in ending the decades-old Mindanao conflict. The government reportedly handed over to the MILF a list containing the names of 53 suspected Islamic militants who are operating here in Mindanao. In a telephone interview, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said they are now validating the list that reportedly contains the names of renegade Muslim rebels with possible links to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) as well as Khadaffy Janjalani, leader of the Abu Sayyaf. Under a "cooperation framework" signed with the government in 2002, the MILF said it will help the National Government "interdict or arrest terrorist elements" operating in its areas. Thousands of members and supporters of the MILF have gathered at one of its camps near Cotabato for three days for peace talks that opened last Sunday. Kabalu said he is hopeful a final peace agreement will be signed this year. Asked whether the MILF will arrest one of its commanders if found to be shielding those on the list Kabalu said they would since that is included in the mandate of the MILF-RP's Ad Hoc Joint Action Group. Kabalu assured that after they have verified the list, MILF units would either operate on its own and arrest those named on it or would team up with government forces. "We have the option to operate unilaterally and then turn them over to the military," he said. National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales last month confirmed that the government was working with the MILF and that the joint action group has resulted in several arrests. But he declined to name who had been detained saying it could affect ongoing operations. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |