Militants finding sanctuary in southern Philippines
Updated
Militants and extremists who've fled Indonesia and Malaysia, are continuing to find sanctuary in the southern Philippines, according to the country's counter-terrorism chief.
Arturo Lomibao says the issue of foreign militants on southern Mindanao island continues to be a serious security threat in the region. He's called for more cooperation between the Philippines and its near neighbours.
Presenter: Liam Cochrane .
Speakers: Sidney Jones, senior advisor for the Asia Program at the International Crisis Group Julkipli Wadi, is an associate professor of Islamic Studies at the University of the Philippines
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COCHRANE: Arturo Lomibao (LOW-MEE-BAOW) told a counter-terrorism forum in Manila that members of JI had shown considerable resilience against security forces and that, despite an increase in arrests, militants still travelled to the Philippines.
It's unclear if he was speaking on the basis of any new information, but he specifically mentioned that those arriving were linked to Umar Patek - one of two key suspects in the 2002 Bali bombings who fled to the southern Philippines.
Sidney Jones, the senior advisor for the Asia Program at the International Crisis Group, agrees with him.
JONES: I think he's right that there's still traffic taking place. I think its much less than its been in previous years but its clear that there're still people finding their way to the Philippines from Indonesia, whether its through Malaysia or whether its directly over open seas to Mindanao is not clear but we know people are going in.
COCHRANE: Ms Jones says the newcomers ARE linked to radical Islamic groups but don't pose a serious threat to the Philippines.
JONES: The number of people going in and out is not big enough to effect the security situation and there's no indication that the activities of these men have had any major impact on the fighting in Mindanao or the activities in Mindanao in the last year or so.
COCHRANE: The large southern island of Mindanao has not only been a sanctuary for foreign Islamic fighters, but is home to separatist struggles by Islamic and communist rebels.
The Philippines' president has pledged to defeat the various insurgents in the south by 2010, and US forces are assisting with the effort.
But on the ground in Mindanao, army spokesman Major Eugene Batara, had a very different view on the issue of foreign terrorists coming to the island.
BATARA: So far we haven't monitored any movements of militants coming from Indonesia and Malaysia, but our people are monitoring the movements of those who are already here in southern Mindanao.
COCHRANE: Intelligence sources estimate there are around 60 foreign militants hiding out in the southern Philippines.
These foreign fighters came to Mindanao four or five years ago to help train locals in bomb making and guerrilla warfare, but, according to counter-terrorism chief Mr Limbao (LOW-MEE-BAOW), they have dropped off the military intelligence radar.
He says some of them may have married Filipino women, and could be helping local Islamic separatists or members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, known as ASG.
Major Batara, the army spokesman in the southern Philippines, says that, in return, local terroists are probably helping the foreigners to evade security forces.
BATARA: We believe that they are being supported by the families of the ASG who are with them.
COCHRANE: But, as for new terrorists arriving in the country, one academic says the death sentence handed down to Bali bomber Amrozi and his associates, could discourage potential jihadists.
Julkipli Wadi, is an associate professor of Islamic Studies at the University of the Philippines.
WADI: My feeling is, because of this new verdict on Amrozi and others, militants in Southeast Asia would now have to think twice of continuing the adventure.
