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| Southeast Asia |
| JI cells in Mindanao confirmed |
| 2004-04-14 |
| Existence of Jemaah Islamiyah cells in the cities of Kidapawan, Koronadal, Cotabato and General Santos City has been strengthened with the confirmation made by a key official of the justice department. North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol Monday said a Department of Justice (DOJ) special prosecutor on anti-terrorism was sent to Mindanao last week to meet with local leaders and sound the alarm of the presence of JI cells in the said cities. In fact, Piñol said, the DOJ suspects that JI members were the authors of the October 2002 bombing in this city that killed a number of people and wounded many others. "We have always been on alert for possible JI activities," Piñol said, adding that there is a possibility that all other bombings in the said JI permeated cities could have been perpetrated by the group linked to know terrorist Osama bin Laden. US Charge d'affaires Joseph Mussomeli said he and embassy staff gave an intelligence briefing to Arroyo last month, hinting that it led to the arrest of six members of the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf. Mussomeli said US officials had sought an urgent intelligence briefing with Arroyo on March 22. "The thing that was unique perhaps is that the information that both the Philippines and American officials were gathering was extraordinarily high so there was urgency on both sides to talk and discuss and see what can be done," Mussomeli said. Mussomeli also rejected an account of the meeting with Arroyo given by the New York Times, which said Manila was quietly warned by the US that it had not been doing enough to crack down on terrorists. He said there had been concern about terrorist activities and some "serious discussions. But the use of terms like reproach and reprimand is silly." Asked if Washington was satisfied with Arroyo's anti-terror efforts, Mussomeli said, "I think satisfied is an understatement. I think the last several weeks has been particularly impressive, as I wrote in my letter to the president, I think on March 31st. The efforts have been extraordinary." "The United States and the Philippines have worked as strong strategic partners in the war against terror. Those who are talking about fictitious diplomatic reproaches or anything of the sort only want this partnership to fail, and they are playing into the hands of terrorists," Arroyo said. Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the government is very determined in its campaign while deputy spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the Philippines does not need any prompting from the US or any other country to act on the terrorist threat. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |