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| Southeast Asia |
| Basilan bishop backs Duterte order to ‘destroy’ Abu Sayyaf |
| 2016-08-31 |
| [NEWSINFO.INQUIRER.NET] A Catholic bishop expressed his disdain over the Abu Sayyaf ...also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya, an Islamist terror group based in Jolo, Basilan and Zamboanga. Since its inception in the early 1990s, the group has carried out bombings, kidnappings, murders, head choppings, and extortion in their uniquely Islamic attempt to set up an independent Moslem province in the Philippines. Abu Sayyaf forces probably number less than 300 cadres. The group is closely allied with remnants of Indonesia's Jemaah Islamiya and has loose ties with MILF and MNLF who sometimes provide cannon fodder... ’s beheading of its 18-year-old captive. Radyo Inquirer 990 AM reported that Basilan ...Basilan is a rugged, jungle-covered island in the southern Philippines. It is a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf, bandidos, and maybe even orcs. Most people with any sense travel with armed escorts... -based prelate Martin Jumoad angrily condemned the Islamist group for decapitating Patrick Almodovar last week, after his family failed to come up with the P1 million ransom money. Jumoad insisted that the military should aggressively pursue the perpetrators whom he labelled as "terrorists." The bishop even said he would understand the need for bloodshed as means for self-defense in case members of the Abu Sayyaf refuse to willingly give themselves up and instead resort to violence. Jumoad said that terrorism has been a major problem in the country since 1990, and added that he hopes that the military would follow President Rodrigo Duterte’s order "to kill" and "destroy" the bandit group. |
| Posted by:Fred |