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| Southeast Asia |
| JI may stage more attacks |
| 2005-10-17 |
| The Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Friday warned that the Jemaah Islamiah and the Abu Sayyaf may hit civilian targets any time in Mindanao, where security and rebel forces have joined in the hunt for the two terrorist groups. The MILF said the two groups remain the biggest threat to the Philippines and terrorists could be planning an attack. It said the Jemaah Islamiah and the Abu Sayyaf have fragmented into smaller groups and are believed to be hiding in Mindanao. âAlthough they are fragmented, they remain the biggest threat to the safety of everybody. There are strong possibilities that the terrorists may strike at civilian targets any time. âWe canât exactly tell when or where, but we have alerted our forces to intensify the hunt for JI and Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Mindanao,â MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said. The MILF, the countryâs largest Muslim separatist rebel group, is negotiating peace with Manila. It forged an agreement last year that paved the way for its forces to help government hunt down terrorists and criminals in areas where the MILF is operating. The MILF shares intelligence about the JI and the Abu Sayyaf with the military through the ad-hoc joint action group. In a recent interview by an online news group in Singapore the international terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna, head of terrorism research, Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore, said: âJI is still training in the southern Philippines. JI camps are still active. JI continues to receive arms and munition explosives from its cells in the southern Philippines. It continues to receive funding from al-Qaeda and financiers in Saudi Arabia.â He did not identify al-Qaeda and the Saudi financiers, or how they were channeling funds to the JI. Gunaratna also warned that JI becomes active during the âbombing season,â usually from August to December. âWhen I was asked about the state of health of JI, I said that JI will attack. JI is still capable. And I believe that JI has suffered, but it still retains significant infrastructure to mount attacks not only in Indonesia but in the Philippines and some of the neighboring countries,â he said. Philippine authorities said Friday at least 33 JI members are believed to be hiding in Mindanao and were training local recruits. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #3 Despite it being fall, I think bright, blood red is appropriate. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-10-17 22:36 |
| #2 Oh dear. 2b, I was not expecting that! I wonder what are the right shoes for the season? White just doesn't seem like a good idea under the circumstances, but limiting to navy, brown and black seems awfully dull... |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-10-17 17:18 |
| #1 the bombing season is Here! (Aug to Dec) Check out your local markets for gifts and cards. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-10-17 10:41 |