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| Southeast Asia | |
| MILF fighters held with JI operatives | |
| 2004-04-25 | |
| The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the main Muslim insurgent group in the country, demanded Sunday the release of three of its guerrillas arrested in an anti-terror crackdown targeting suspected Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants. Four suspected operatives of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror network were arrested, foiling major bomb attacks being plotted by the group, President Arroyo said Sunday. Arroyo presented the four suspects, in handcuffs and tightly guarded, to the media while visiting the southern city of Davao. The four -- Sammy Abdulgani, Montaser Esmael, Datu Puti Ungka and Badrodin Dalungan -- were arrested Friday after a month of eluding security forces in the south. They were caught by military intelligence operatives after a brief chase near the town of Tacurong in the main southern island of Mindanao, Arroyo said. Various âcomponents to make high-grade explosive bombsâ were found on them, she said. âI was informed that this group is directly being financed and supervised by a top Jemaah Islamiyah personality,â Arroyo said. âThey were also involved in several foiled attempts to bomb different targets in Mindanao.â Arroyo said the four confessed during interrogation that they were involved in a car bomb attack on an airport in Mindanao in February last year and a sports gymnasium this year that left six dead and 39 others wounded. Military sources said earlier that the suspects confessed to being associates of Indonesian Taufek Refqe, a top JI liaison officer operating in the south who was arrested in October last year. Arroyo said the four were nearly captured early this month when they attempted to plant bombs on two passenger ships in the south, but they managed to escape. Arroyo also warned terrorist groups that their âremaining days are overâ. But the MILF said three of those in custody were regular members of the group and did not belong to JI. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu called for their release and warned the arrests could affect peace talks with the government being brokered by Malaysia. "We are seeking the release of the three MILF fighters, because this is in violation of the ceasefire agreement," he told AFP. "If the arbitrary arrests of legitimate MILF members continue, it could affect the peace process," he warned, adding that the three were held "simply because they were MILF members."
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| Posted by:Dan Darling |