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| Southeast Asia |
| Fight continues for a terror-free Jolo |
| 2006-06-02 |
| From the safety of a helicopter, the battlefield looks like paradise. Hillsides are lush with coconut trees and aquamarine waters lap golden sandbars. But the Philippine island of Jolo is a no-go area for sun-seeking tourists as one of the frontlines in the fight against Islamist extremists in Asia. The remote island, around 950km south of Manila, is the stronghold of Abu Sayyaf, a homegrown group of militants, and a training ground for members of Al Qaeda-backed Jemaah Islamiah (JI), security sources say. Alarmed by South-east AsiaÂ’s jihadists using Jolo and other parts of the restive Philippine south as bases, the United States has been sending trainers and advisers to help soldiers in its former colony since 2002. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |