Security officials blame JI for Mindanao blasts
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine security officials on Thursday tagged the Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah as the group behind the spate of bombings in southern Philippines which claimed eight lives and wounded close to 100 others.
In a radio interview, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said that while the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a group could not be involved in the deadly blasts, some of its members could have taken part in the attacks.
"Ang tingin ko riyan minamanmanan natin ang hardline na teroristang grupo diyan sa Mindanao, tulad ng JI. Ang JI may pormal na kasunduan sa Abu Sayyaf. Ang tinitignan natin, ito [ang] gumagawa. Pero hindi ko masasabi na walang myembro ng MILF na sumasama riyan. Kasi alam mo kapag armadong grupo naghahanap ng aksyon diyan e maaaring nakatangay ang iba riyan o kamaganak o kaya nabayaran. So bagama’t sinasabi natin ang MILF as an organization maaring di nag-uutos ng pagbomba, di nila masasabi na may member silang di sumasali riyan," Gonzales said over radio dzBB.
[We are looking at the JI, which has formal ties with the Abu Sayyaf. But we cannot discount
that individual members of the MILF are involved because they may have relatives or they joined the JI activities for the money or for the thrill.]
Reached for his comments, Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor said it was not "unusual" for the JI to be involved in the spate of bombings.
"The JI has so many activities there [in Mindanao]. They have new trainings, new test missions. So it's not unusual because they have many activities there," Blancaflor said in a phone interview with GMANews.TV.
Blancaflor, who is spokesman of the government's Anti-Terrorism Council, estimates that there about 12 JI operatives hiding in the strife-torn southern Philippines region.
At present, authorities have yet to neutralize Omar/Umar Patek and Dulmatin, senior JI operatives who are hiding in Mindanao. Both are also wanted in connection with the October 2002 bombings in Australia.
Philippine security officials describe the JI as the Southeast Asian arm of the al-Qaeda terror network headed by Osama bin Laden. Authorities said the JI has links with both the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF, although the latter has repeatedly denied relations with it.
OIC
In clearing the MILF, Gonzales said it is unlikely the MILF as an organization is involved because it has ties with the influential Organization of Islamic Conference, and with Malaysia.
Malaysia is the third-party facilitator in ongoing peace efforts between the Philippine government and the MILF.
"Nakikipagusap sila ng kapayapaan sa atin, kung gagawa sila ng ganyang pagbobomba walang papayag na sumama sa kanila riyan, walang makipagusap [The MILF is talking peace with us. If it will get involved in this, no one will join them and no one will talk to them]," Gonzales said.
In the meantime, Gonzales said authorities are keeping a tight watch in Metro Manila against the bombers from Mindanao.
He admitted they are not discounting the possibility of some of the bombers already trying to make their way to the metropolis. "Di nating masasabing hindi [We cannot discount that possibility]," he said.
For his part, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government will continue peace efforts with the MILF despite claims its special operations group was involved in the bombings.
"Ang mainstream MILF leadership naman ay nagsalita na sila, hindi sila ang dapat sisihin sa pangyayari. At alam natin gumagawa sila ng paraan upang manawagan sa kanilang recalcitrant commanders huwag na gumawa ng kalokohan," Ermita said over radio Veritas.
[The mainstream MILF leadership had spoken, and it said it is not to blame for what happened. And we know it is telling its recalcitrant commanders to stop this foolishness.]
On Sunday, a loud explosion rocked Cotabato City, killing 6 people and wounding over 50 others based on military figures. On Tuesday, blasts erupted one after the other in Jolo, Sulu and Iligan City, killing 2 and wounding over 30 others.
Blancaflor said authorities have yet to establish a direct link between the Jolo and Iligan blasts. "It's still too premature for any conclusion." - GMANews.TV
In a radio interview, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said that while the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a group could not be involved in the deadly blasts, some of its members could have taken part in the attacks.
"Ang tingin ko riyan minamanmanan natin ang hardline na teroristang grupo diyan sa Mindanao, tulad ng JI. Ang JI may pormal na kasunduan sa Abu Sayyaf. Ang tinitignan natin, ito [ang] gumagawa. Pero hindi ko masasabi na walang myembro ng MILF na sumasama riyan. Kasi alam mo kapag armadong grupo naghahanap ng aksyon diyan e maaaring nakatangay ang iba riyan o kamaganak o kaya nabayaran. So bagama’t sinasabi natin ang MILF as an organization maaring di nag-uutos ng pagbomba, di nila masasabi na may member silang di sumasali riyan," Gonzales said over radio dzBB.
[We are looking at the JI, which has formal ties with the Abu Sayyaf. But we cannot discount
that individual members of the MILF are involved because they may have relatives or they joined the JI activities for the money or for the thrill.]
Reached for his comments, Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor said it was not "unusual" for the JI to be involved in the spate of bombings.
"The JI has so many activities there [in Mindanao]. They have new trainings, new test missions. So it's not unusual because they have many activities there," Blancaflor said in a phone interview with GMANews.TV.
Blancaflor, who is spokesman of the government's Anti-Terrorism Council, estimates that there about 12 JI operatives hiding in the strife-torn southern Philippines region.
At present, authorities have yet to neutralize Omar/Umar Patek and Dulmatin, senior JI operatives who are hiding in Mindanao. Both are also wanted in connection with the October 2002 bombings in Australia.
Philippine security officials describe the JI as the Southeast Asian arm of the al-Qaeda terror network headed by Osama bin Laden. Authorities said the JI has links with both the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF, although the latter has repeatedly denied relations with it.
OIC
In clearing the MILF, Gonzales said it is unlikely the MILF as an organization is involved because it has ties with the influential Organization of Islamic Conference, and with Malaysia.
Malaysia is the third-party facilitator in ongoing peace efforts between the Philippine government and the MILF.
"Nakikipagusap sila ng kapayapaan sa atin, kung gagawa sila ng ganyang pagbobomba walang papayag na sumama sa kanila riyan, walang makipagusap [The MILF is talking peace with us. If it will get involved in this, no one will join them and no one will talk to them]," Gonzales said.
In the meantime, Gonzales said authorities are keeping a tight watch in Metro Manila against the bombers from Mindanao.
He admitted they are not discounting the possibility of some of the bombers already trying to make their way to the metropolis. "Di nating masasabing hindi [We cannot discount that possibility]," he said.
For his part, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government will continue peace efforts with the MILF despite claims its special operations group was involved in the bombings.
"Ang mainstream MILF leadership naman ay nagsalita na sila, hindi sila ang dapat sisihin sa pangyayari. At alam natin gumagawa sila ng paraan upang manawagan sa kanilang recalcitrant commanders huwag na gumawa ng kalokohan," Ermita said over radio Veritas.
[The mainstream MILF leadership had spoken, and it said it is not to blame for what happened. And we know it is telling its recalcitrant commanders to stop this foolishness.]
On Sunday, a loud explosion rocked Cotabato City, killing 6 people and wounding over 50 others based on military figures. On Tuesday, blasts erupted one after the other in Jolo, Sulu and Iligan City, killing 2 and wounding over 30 others.
Blancaflor said authorities have yet to establish a direct link between the Jolo and Iligan blasts. "It's still too premature for any conclusion." - GMANews.TV
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