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Separatist Muslims cautions Philippines over terror link allegations
By IOL correspondent in Southeast Asia, Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA, Feb. 3 (IslamOnline) – The Muslim separatist group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said Saturday it was the victim of a smear campaign that indicated it was next on the list of the U.S. army in Mindanao.
Local media, in addition to news agencies, have made accusations of a tie-up between terrorist groups and the MILF.
MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu, in an interview with The Manila Times, said that such accusations are nothing new to their group and that they have been expecting fingers to eventually point at them.
The charges, he said, are aimed at creating a condition “to justify action against us.” “We’ve thought about that; they’re targeting us and building up to it,” Kabalu added.
The Manila Times published Saturday a story originating from Reuters news agency, stating that the MILF hold the keys to 27 “sleeper” terrorist cells in the Philippines. The information is attributed to ranking intelligence officers.
The paper said a lucky break leading to the discovery of at least one cell’s bank account has given investigators a possible trail to the other groups.
The Philippine government officially downplays links between the country’s largest Muslim separatist group and the global terrorist movement.
However, local and American law enforcers have worked together in the last few months to unravel a well-funded network, the Manila Times said.
In separate interviews, intelligence officers said a major part of the investigation focused on the Ermita-Malate tourist area of Manila and the madaris (Madrassah) school networks in Mindanao.
The Manila Times added that another intelligence source, who does regular liaison work with foreign agencies, claimed that the regional Muslim militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) funded the December 30, 2000 Light Railway Transit (LRT) bombing.
The JI network, which includes arrested Indonesian suspect Fathur Rohman Al Ghozi, is part of Al-Qaeda. They have been linked to the MILF by intelligence officers in Manila.
The paper said documents showing Al Ghozi passed on the bombing funds to Yunus Mokhlis who is commander of the MILF’s 33rd Division while the men arrested for keeping a huge explosives cache in General Santos City, he added, are also regular MILF guerrillas.
Based on the Al Ghozi probe, a regular cell consists of only three to four men. At least the team leader would have contact with someone from another cell. Al Ghozi deposited the money in a conduit bank account for the MILF to withdraw.
Al Ghozi, on the other hand, got his instructions and funding for his terrorist operations from Faiz Bin Bakar Bafala, a member of JI’s consultative council, through his ATM.
On the other hand, the Muslim secessionist group revealed plans Saturday of raising the issue during the resumption of peace negotiations this month.
Kabalu altogether cited instances where military officials linked the MILF to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Pentagon kidnap for ransom group and the latest charge involving the links to the Southeast Asian cell of the al-Qaida terrorist network, the JI.
The MILF told IslamOnline in a interview last year that it suspected the Philippines authorities would try to stall the peace talks engaged between the two warring factions.
A peace deal was signed in Tripoli and further discussions between the MILF and Manila were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last year.
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