ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 09 Mar) A senior commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) linked to a supposed plot to oust Murad Ebrahim, chieftain of the rebel group, surfaced Thursday to deny reports of a brewing power struggle among their ranks.
Musanip Abdullah, also known as Commander Adan, who was linked to reports of the supposed coup, said the MILF is solid behind the Ebrahim's leadership.
"We are all behind the leadership of Brother Murad and all are supporting him. I deny reports attributed to me by the media about the failed coup plot against Brother Murad Ebrahim," he told the Zamboanga Journal by phone from his base in Mindanao.
The news of the failed coup allegedly hatched by hardcore senior rebel leaders led by Samir Hashim -- younger brother of MILF founder Salamat Hashim -- and Wahid Tundok spread like wildfire in the southern Philippines and sent pro-Ebrahim supporters scampering Wednesday to verify the reports.
The five-year old peace talks between Manila and the MILF, the country's largest Muslim separatist rebel group, is likely to face a serious problem or could collapse if the moderate Ebrahim -- who took over Salamat Hashim after he died of illness in 2003 -- is ousted.
Abdullah said the tens of thousands of rebels and supporters are behind the Ebrahim.
"Ask anybody in the MILF and they will tell you that Brother Murad Ebrahim is their only leader. And all of us, from the foot soldiers in the mountain to senior leaders, are all for Murad Ebrahim, and we are all intact and united," he said.
Eid Kabalu, a rebel spokesman, said the reports could be a ploy by those opposing the peace talks. "There could be efforts to divide the MILF, but our group is intact and we are all united and behind one leader and that is Murad Ebrahim," he said.
Mohagher Iqbal, the chief MILF peace negotiator, also threw his support to Ebrahim. "It is plain rumors, don't believe everything you hear or read. We are all for Murad Ebrahim and he is our leader," he said Thursday.
The young Hashim is allegedly opposed to Murad's moderate stand on the peace talks, and wanted the MILF to pursue the establishment of a strict Islamic state in Mindanao as the only solution to the secessionist problems in the strife-torn, but mineral-rich region, home to about 4 million Filipino Muslims.
Although Hashim is popular among MILF hardliners, most of his supporters were linked by the military to the Southeast Asian terror network the Jemaah Islamiya.
Among them is Wahid Tundok, tagged as one of those who provided sanctuary to Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani and Dulmatin and Pitono, both JI bomb-makers, who were previously reported hiding inside so-called MILF stronghold in Maguindanao and blamed for the 2002 Bali bombings.
Kabalu denied reports about Hashim and Tundok and said they would never launch a coup against Ebrahim.
"Samir will never attempt to unseat brother Murad. He has no capability to unseat brother Murad and he is loyal to the MILF leadership, and this is same also with Wahid Tundok," he said.
The MILF earlier suspended Tundok because of his links with the Jemaah Islamiya and Abu Sayyaf.
Secretary Jesus Dureza, chief peace adviser of President Gloria Arroyo, said the peace talks would be seriously affected if the reports were proven true. "If it is true, then it could have a serious effect on the government peace talks with the MILF," he said.
Musanip Abdullah, also known as Commander Adan, who was linked to reports of the supposed coup, said the MILF is solid behind the Ebrahim's leadership.
"We are all behind the leadership of Brother Murad and all are supporting him. I deny reports attributed to me by the media about the failed coup plot against Brother Murad Ebrahim," he told the Zamboanga Journal by phone from his base in Mindanao.
The news of the failed coup allegedly hatched by hardcore senior rebel leaders led by Samir Hashim -- younger brother of MILF founder Salamat Hashim -- and Wahid Tundok spread like wildfire in the southern Philippines and sent pro-Ebrahim supporters scampering Wednesday to verify the reports.
The five-year old peace talks between Manila and the MILF, the country's largest Muslim separatist rebel group, is likely to face a serious problem or could collapse if the moderate Ebrahim -- who took over Salamat Hashim after he died of illness in 2003 -- is ousted.
Abdullah said the tens of thousands of rebels and supporters are behind the Ebrahim.
"Ask anybody in the MILF and they will tell you that Brother Murad Ebrahim is their only leader. And all of us, from the foot soldiers in the mountain to senior leaders, are all for Murad Ebrahim, and we are all intact and united," he said.
Eid Kabalu, a rebel spokesman, said the reports could be a ploy by those opposing the peace talks. "There could be efforts to divide the MILF, but our group is intact and we are all united and behind one leader and that is Murad Ebrahim," he said.
Mohagher Iqbal, the chief MILF peace negotiator, also threw his support to Ebrahim. "It is plain rumors, don't believe everything you hear or read. We are all for Murad Ebrahim and he is our leader," he said Thursday.
The young Hashim is allegedly opposed to Murad's moderate stand on the peace talks, and wanted the MILF to pursue the establishment of a strict Islamic state in Mindanao as the only solution to the secessionist problems in the strife-torn, but mineral-rich region, home to about 4 million Filipino Muslims.
Although Hashim is popular among MILF hardliners, most of his supporters were linked by the military to the Southeast Asian terror network the Jemaah Islamiya.
Among them is Wahid Tundok, tagged as one of those who provided sanctuary to Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani and Dulmatin and Pitono, both JI bomb-makers, who were previously reported hiding inside so-called MILF stronghold in Maguindanao and blamed for the 2002 Bali bombings.
Kabalu denied reports about Hashim and Tundok and said they would never launch a coup against Ebrahim.
"Samir will never attempt to unseat brother Murad. He has no capability to unseat brother Murad and he is loyal to the MILF leadership, and this is same also with Wahid Tundok," he said.
The MILF earlier suspended Tundok because of his links with the Jemaah Islamiya and Abu Sayyaf.
Secretary Jesus Dureza, chief peace adviser of President Gloria Arroyo, said the peace talks would be seriously affected if the reports were proven true. "If it is true, then it could have a serious effect on the government peace talks with the MILF," he said.
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