ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 09 Mar) The United States has tagged Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines as a sanctuary and training ground for terrorists.
Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, chief of the US Pacific Command, said the southern Philippines is also a recruiting ground for terrorist organizations.
"The southern Philippines, Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago remain a sanctuary, training and recruiting ground for terrorist organizations," he told
the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.
Fallon said activities by terrorists and their supporters have been centered in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia and that these countries are cooperating with the US.
"With the cooperation of those nations, we have been building capacity and strengthening the ability of those countries to resist the activities of the terrorists and to actively seek their capture or demise," he said.
He said Southeast Asia remains the command's focal point in the war on terror. He said winning the war on terrorism is his highest priority and to achieve that goal, the command is striving to eliminate the violence that now threatens the people and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. "We continue efforts to create a secure and stable environment," Fallon said.
"We have in place key elements to succeed in advancing US security interests and enhancing regional stability - vibrant alliances, opportunities for new partnerships, combat ready and agile forces, and committed soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines to lead our efforts," he said.
He said the command is also working to mature joint and combined war fighting capability and readiness.
"Fundamental to success in the war on terror and continued stability in the Asia-Pacific region is our joint and combined war fighting capability and readiness," Fallon said. "As virtually every operation and activity is conducted jointly and in concert with allies, it is important that we train to operate more efficiently as a multinational team."
Fallon did not say what terrorist groups were operating in the southern Philippines, but Manila previously admitted that dozens of members of the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiya, including Dulmatin and Pitono, linked to the deadly 2002 Bali bombings, were hiding in Mindanao island.
Aside from the Jemaah Islamiya, the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, implicated in the spate of bombings and kidnappings of foreigners in Mindanao, and renegade members of the local Muslim separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front, are also active in the southern Philippines.
Washington continues to support the Philippines, a key US ally in the so-called global war on terrorism, in fighting the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya. The two countries just concluded a joint anti-terrorism drill in the southern Filipino island of Jolo, a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group.
Fallon said the Philippines have taken the lead on initiatives to improve counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries.
Just this week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation added the leader of the Abu Sayyaf Khadaffy Janjalani and two of his lieutenants Totoni Hapilon and Jainal Antel Sali, to the Most Wanted Terrorists and Seeking Information - War on Terrorism lists.
The FBI said the terrorists are being sought for their alleged involvement in various attacks or planned attacks around the world.
Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, chief of the US Pacific Command, said the southern Philippines is also a recruiting ground for terrorist organizations.
"The southern Philippines, Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago remain a sanctuary, training and recruiting ground for terrorist organizations," he told
the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.
Fallon said activities by terrorists and their supporters have been centered in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia and that these countries are cooperating with the US.
"With the cooperation of those nations, we have been building capacity and strengthening the ability of those countries to resist the activities of the terrorists and to actively seek their capture or demise," he said.
He said Southeast Asia remains the command's focal point in the war on terror. He said winning the war on terrorism is his highest priority and to achieve that goal, the command is striving to eliminate the violence that now threatens the people and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. "We continue efforts to create a secure and stable environment," Fallon said.
"We have in place key elements to succeed in advancing US security interests and enhancing regional stability - vibrant alliances, opportunities for new partnerships, combat ready and agile forces, and committed soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines to lead our efforts," he said.
He said the command is also working to mature joint and combined war fighting capability and readiness.
"Fundamental to success in the war on terror and continued stability in the Asia-Pacific region is our joint and combined war fighting capability and readiness," Fallon said. "As virtually every operation and activity is conducted jointly and in concert with allies, it is important that we train to operate more efficiently as a multinational team."
Fallon did not say what terrorist groups were operating in the southern Philippines, but Manila previously admitted that dozens of members of the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiya, including Dulmatin and Pitono, linked to the deadly 2002 Bali bombings, were hiding in Mindanao island.
Aside from the Jemaah Islamiya, the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, implicated in the spate of bombings and kidnappings of foreigners in Mindanao, and renegade members of the local Muslim separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front, are also active in the southern Philippines.
Washington continues to support the Philippines, a key US ally in the so-called global war on terrorism, in fighting the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya. The two countries just concluded a joint anti-terrorism drill in the southern Filipino island of Jolo, a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group.
Fallon said the Philippines have taken the lead on initiatives to improve counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries.
Just this week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation added the leader of the Abu Sayyaf Khadaffy Janjalani and two of his lieutenants Totoni Hapilon and Jainal Antel Sali, to the Most Wanted Terrorists and Seeking Information - War on Terrorism lists.
The FBI said the terrorists are being sought for their alleged involvement in various attacks or planned attacks around the world.
Major General Gabriel Habacon, commander of military forces in the southern Philippines, praised the FBI for the inclusion of Janjalani and two senior Abu Sayyaf leaders to its wanted list and said the Philippines will closely work with US authorities in the so-called war on terror.
"It is a welcome development and we assure that we will continue working closely with the US government to capture suspected terrorists in the southern Philippines," General Habacon said.
He said there is an ongoing operation to track down members of the Abu Sayyaf in the southern region, including suspected Jemaah Islamiya militants believed to be hiding in Mindanao island. "The operation is going," he said.
The FBI said Janjalani, Hapilon and Sali are part of the terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf group, which is responsible for the kidnapping and murder of foreign nationals in the Philippines.
Last month, the US Embassy in Manila paid over US$100,000 reward to a Filipino in Zamboanga City who helped authorities capture an Abu Sayyaf terrorist Toting Hanno.
"It is a welcome development and we assure that we will continue working closely with the US government to capture suspected terrorists in the southern Philippines," General Habacon said.
He said there is an ongoing operation to track down members of the Abu Sayyaf in the southern region, including suspected Jemaah Islamiya militants believed to be hiding in Mindanao island. "The operation is going," he said.
The FBI said Janjalani, Hapilon and Sali are part of the terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf group, which is responsible for the kidnapping and murder of foreign nationals in the Philippines.
Last month, the US Embassy in Manila paid over US$100,000 reward to a Filipino in Zamboanga City who helped authorities capture an Abu Sayyaf terrorist Toting Hanno.
Hanno was suspected of taking part in the abduction of three American citizens — Christian missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham, and Guillermo Sobero — from the Dos Palmas resort in the central Filipino province of Palawan in May 2001.
Sobero was later killed and a year later Martin Burnham died in a US-led military rescue while his wife was wounded.
Hanno was arrested in May 2002, but escaped from the Basilan provincial jail a year later. He was recaptured in January last year on an island off Zamboanga.
Washington has already paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in rewards for the capture and killings of Abu Sayyaf members and leaders, including about US$359,600 to three men who helped locate Hamsiraji Sali, a key Abu Sayyaf commander who was killed in a clash with government troops in 2004 on Basilan island, about 15 miles south of Zamboanga City.
The Abu Sayyaf group is on a US list of terrorist organizations.
No comments:
Post a Comment