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| Southeast Asia |
| Accomplice aided terrorist’s jailbreak |
| 2003-07-17 |
| This is turning into a bad movie, "Escape From Camp Crame". Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi was assisted in his escape from a Manila police intelligence lock-up by his former accomplice in crime, Abu Ali, who had turned state witness and was given freedom and a job as a janitor in the building that contained Al-Ghozi’s cell. Our story opens with Ali slowly pushing a mop along the cellblock. As he passes Fathur’s cell we hear a low whisper, "It’s on for tonight!" Abu nods slightly and keeps mopping. The latest in a series of startling revelations about corruption and incompetence among Al-Ghozi’s jailers came as investigators revealed that he had asked for, and been given, a haircut and a clean shave the day before his escape. "Hey, screw! I need a haircut and a shave!" "What’d ya need them for, convict?" "I gotta escape, er, court date tomorrow." "OK" General Eduardo Matillano, the Philippines police officer leading the investigation into the escape, shrugged and held his arms in the air when asked why intelligence officials had allowed a former accomplice-turned-informer access to Al-Ghozi’s cell. "That’s what we are trying to find out," he said. There’s a guy who will be looking for work real soon. Abu Ali, whose real name is Cusain Ramos, was supposed to join a witness-protection program after he agreed to give evidence that he had bought the explosives for Al-Ghozi and fellow Jemaah Islamiah member Muklis Yunos, which they used in a Manila bombing in December 2000, killing 22 people. "How about hiding me in Miami? I hear the weather is nice." Instead, Ali was employed as a janitor in the Intelligence Group building housing Al-Ghozi, and was allowed to come and go. "Nah, we’re putting you to work in our most sensitive intelligence headquarters where we keep all our secret information as well as the prison where we keep your former terrorist comrades locked up. Here is your ID badge giving you complete access as well as a set of master keys. Now get to work." Ali will now face new charges after he admitted telling Al-Ghozi two weeks ago it would be easy for him to leave the building but that he would need a car to get out of Camp Crame, the national police headquarter complex where the IG is housed. Ali is still around? Are you sure? General Matillano said he did not yet know whether Ali provided Al-Ghozi with the vehicle for the escape. "Maybe." he said. The General is watching his career circling the drain. Philippines President Gloria Arroyo, under fire for the apparent ease of the escape, vowed yesterday to sack the Philippines National Police leadership if it were demonstrated they were to blame for the escape. Going, going, gone. |
| Posted by:Steve |