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by Kazi Mahmood KUALA LUMPUR (Islam Online) - Abu Sayyaf members holding American, French, Malaysian and Filipino hostages in the Philippines warned that they are prepared for a bloody showdown with President Joseph Estrada's troops.
They issued the statement amidst claims by Jolo villagers that the Philippines Army has placed several observatory camps in the area surrounding the deep forests. Jolo is described as a tadpole-shaped island 960 km (600 miles) south of Manila. The Abu Sayyaf group is holed up within Jolo island's forests, situated on a stretch of islands in the straits below Basilian Island, the theatre of a bloody hostage drama. Philippines President Estrada is said to be gaining popular support due his decision to handle the Jolo crisis personally. He is said to be keen to use any means possible to end the embarrassing hostage crisis that is placing his country under international fire. Attack and finish them! "All options are open. No options are closed,'' presidential spokesman Ricardo Puno said. Although a military rescue may prove costly in terms of lives and logistics, analysts said the government could no longer ignore growing calls for an assault. Public calls to "attack and finish" the Sayyaf group have been heard in Manila. "The government is willing to take casualties at this point just to shore up its image,'' political science professor Alex Magno said. "If possible, the government would want to show the head of Ghalib Andang on a pole.'' "Terrorism should be excised like cancer, swiftly and in toto. We support the call for military action, the sooner the better," Vice-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said in another public call to end the crisis at all cost. Fresh kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf have steeled Manila's resolve to use force, observers said, referring to Philippines Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado's recent statement. Mercado said that he do not think the Philippines should bend backward. "We've been bending backward for so long and we're beginning to look like contortionists and people might think that as we bend backward, we don't have a spine.'' Senators, and other influential politicians, have also called for a swift military assault on Jolo to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf group, perceived as a real thorn to the authorities. Ready for the superpowers The crisis began on April 23rd when the Abu Sayyaf, abducted 21 people - mostly foreigners - from the Sipadan diving resort in neighboring Malaysia. All but one of the Sipadan hostages, a Filipino dive instructor, has been released in a multi-million-dollar deal bankrolled by Libya. Abu Sabaya, a spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf group whose leader, Ghalib Andang, popularly known as "Commader Robot", said the group was waiting for a decision by Estrada. Estrada cut short a U.S. trip and returned to Manila in the middle of this week to chair a high-level security meeting on the 144-day-old hostage crisis. "We shall await its decision whether to negotiate with us or order a military rescue operation," Sabaya told local radio DXRZ here. "We are ready and prepared to counter any military operation even with the superpower," he said. The Sayyaf group is said to be emboldened due to recent "monetary" success. Hostage money has been paid to the group for the freedom of European and Malaysian hostages thanks to a Libyan coup in the solving the crisis. Sabaya, clad in military fatigues and wearing a white band on his head, likened the Abu Sayyaf to dust, which easily disperses once the wind blows. Any rescue attempt could "become like Basilan" in which scores of rebels and soldiers, as well as hostages, could be killed, he warned. The Philippine military attacked an Abu Sayyaf mountain hideout in nearby Basilan Island in May after gunmen beheaded two men among 50 Filipino hostages. Four of the hostages were shot at close range as the group fled, leaving dozens of soldiers and Abu Sayyaf member casualties. Fifteen of the hostages were rescued, while the group later handed over three others to government negotiators. Abu Sayyaf leaders on Basilian Island, including Sabaya and Khadafy Janjalani, fled to nearby Jolo, where they joined Commander Robot's group holding 21 people snatched from the Malaysian resort of Sipadan in April. The gunmen are still holding 15 Filipinos, two French television journalists, American Jeffrey Schilling, whom they claim is an American spy and will be beheaded, and three Malaysians who were snatched in the rebels' latest cross border raid on Sunday. Army on logistics mission in Jolo Confirmed reports say that the Philippines army can now be visibly seen on Jolo. They are not heavily armed but are considered to be the first detachment of troops in the wake of impending assault on the Jolo hideout. Army personnel are said to be on a logistic mission, reporting to their headquarters on the situation on the field. They were also seen penetrating deeper into the forest in an attempt to establish terrain conditions. Although government tried to cool mounting demands for military action against the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers, their statements left no doubt it was an option being mooted by the authorities. However, recent reports indicate that Estrada has halted preparations for an eventual assault. Reports say the government backed off from military action against the Abu Sayyaf and said it was still clinging to hopes negotiations would succeed in freeing the 19 hostages. Observers, however, believe that this is only a strategic retreat in the decision making process, in order to divert public opinion and prepare a surprise assault. Philippines soldiers were said to be ready for action within 24 hours but have been told to halt operations following calls by Malaysian officials calling for the safety and protection of Malaysian nationals. The Malaysian government has been instrumental to the peaceful ending of the first round of Jolo hostage taking, insisting that the Filipino government not use military force to free the hostages. Malaysia doubled its efforts to stop all military actions by the Philippines after a first attempt by the army failed to free the hostages. Last April, successive artillery pounding of the Jolo hideout resulted in making the situation tenser, almost threatening the lives of the hostages, prisoners released by the Sayyaf group told the press last month. Military map revealed The ranks of the Abu Sayyaf have swelled, with thousands of new recruits and sympathizers joining the group. They have equipped themselves with the latest M-16 assault riffles, launch grenades, and guerilla warfare equipment bought on the "black market" at triple the usual price. The Philippines are said to be eager to attack now while Abu Sayyaf factions are squabbling amongst themselves over the share of the profits made from the hostage taking, considered a "growth business" in the region by a Malaysian opposition leaders. A military assault was due to begin immediately after the release of the French journalist taken hostage a few weeks ago. The Philippines army is said to have readied a plan for the sealing off of the southern Philippines, including the Zamboanga region and the islands that extend to Malaysia's Borneo Island. Vice President Arroyo indicated that a U.S.-led multinational blockade of the southern Philippine seas to thwart any further attempt to snatch hostages from tourist resorts in neighboring countries could be a possibility. The taking of the American hostage by the Sayyaf group could be costly to them in the end, observers say. They believe that the U.S. would not rule out a marine intervention in Jolo to save the American from being beheaded, adding to the logistic support the Philippines army enjoyed during their recent success against other groups in Zamboanga. The military map shows that the Estrada regime is prepared to attack by land, air and sea. The sea attack on Jolo is devised to bring in the special commando forces and army troops into the group's hideout. The first group of soldiers would have the responsibility to shell the Jolo hideout and it's surrounding with short-range precision missile or bomb launchers. This operation will be supported by air attacks. More troops would be brought in for the final assault once ground troops confirm the situation is well in hand. |
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