|
Philippines to Send Troops to Afghanistan as MILF Denounces Attack on U.S.
JAKARTA, Sept 17 (IslamOnline and News Agencies) - The Philippines is prepared to send troops to Afghanistan to support an imminent U.S. retaliation for last week's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva said Sunday.
A radio report quoted Villanueva as saying that military forces would be deployed as soon as its commander-in-chief, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, gives the approval.
He did not elaborate as to the number of soldiers that may be sent to Afghanistan, home base of Osama bin Laden, suspected by the U.S. of orchestrating the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York.
Bin Laden denied involvement in the attacks that has more than 5000 people missing, according to latest reports.
Afghanistan leaders have said they would declare a jihad, or holy struggle, if provoked by U.S. forces.
Villanueva also said that the assault in the U.S. has prompted the local military to renew efforts to crush the Abu Sayyaf, which is holding two American and 16 Filipino hostages in Basilan.
He confirmed that the Abu Sayyaf had received financial support from supporters in Afghanistan.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) launched a manhunt for local contacts of Osama bin Laden. However, it assured Filipino Muslims yesterday that they would not be the targets of any crackdown.
Deputy Director Hermogenes Ebdane, chief of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF), said police are careful in picking up "Muslim-looking" individuals who may be suspected to be terrorists.
"We have to be very careful in making arrests," he said. "We will not sacrifice human rights by making unwarranted arrests."
Ebdane said police and military intelligence agents are monitoring "certain personalities" who may have links with the groups that attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last September 11th.
PNP intelligence said yesterday it was gathering information on bin Laden associates who may have sneaked into the country. The Philippines fears attacks in the country in the wake of any U.S. retaliation.
The PNP said Abdul Hakim Murad, whom Manila policemen arrested in 1995, had given details about "Operation Bojinka," whose objective was the bombing of American airliners coming from Asia, particularly the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.
The bombing of a Philippine Airlines flight from Manila to Tokyo on December 11, 1994, wherein a Japanese passenger was killed, was believed to be a test run for "Bojinka".
The PNP Intelligence Group, as early as 1995, knew that individuals linked with bin Laden had been taking flying lessons in the United States, the Philippines, and other countries in preparation for last week's attack on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center.
Meanwhile, in a statement Sunday, the United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines (UMDP) appealed to the United Nations to stop the U.S. from launching any retaliatory strike against possible suspects in last week's attacks.
"And as the United States and their allies are gearing at exacting maximum punishment upon the terrorists who are responsible for the attack... we appeal to the United Nations to do the best it could to avoid the escalation of retaliatory and punitive moves of America," read the statement.
The statement said the UMDP strongly condemns the terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon and that it extends condolences to the relatives of the victims.
"The attack is extremely condemnable as it is an act against the whole humanity," read the statement. "We would like to convey to them that we are still sad with this tragic and horrible incident."
Muslim independence seekers in the Philippines rejected calls for a "holy struggle" against the United States and its allies, a spokesman for the country's largest Islamic group said yesterday.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had noted a call by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers for a "jihad" should U.S. forces attack the country in response to the attacks in the U.S., MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said.
"We are not responding to that call. It is not justifiable as of the moment. Jihad is launched only when there is indiscriminate persecution of Muslims and we don't see it right now," he told reporters.
The 12,500-member MILF denounced the hijacking of four U.S. planes used as guided missiles that targeted the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing an estimated 5,000 people.
On the other hand, Kabalu said the MILF is supporting any crackdown by the U.S. government if it is aimed at terrorists responsible for the attack, and as long as innocent civilians are not subjected to indiscriminate arrests.
"In fact, we even condemn the act of terrorism [at the World Trade Center and Pentagon]. We in the MILF support this campaign against these terrorists," Kabalu said.
"But we hope this campaign will not victimize civilians who have nothing to do with the attacks. As long as it is aimed at the terrorists, the MILF will support this campaign," he said.
A second Filipino Muslim group, the Abu Sayyaf, holds 18 hostages including two U.S. Christian missionaries and is believed to have links with Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, the main suspect in the U.S. attacks.
The Taliban has rejected U.S. calls for the Saudi-born bin Laden's expulsion from Afghanistan.
With additional reporting by Kazi Mahmood
|
