The Straits Times, Feb 7, 2005
Fears of growing regional terror group links
by Shefali Rekhi
A FORESTED, marshy area on the outskirts of Datu Piang and Saudi Ampatuan
towns in in the southern Philippines was the scene of a recent gathering of regional
terrorists chiefs.
Abu Sayyaf chief Khadaffy Janjalani met senior leaders of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI),
which was responsible for the Bali bombings and a foiled plan to attack Singapore's
MRT system.
Janjalani was accompanied by second-in-command Isnilon Hapilon and operations
chief Abu Solaiman.
Zaki, JI's point man for the Philippines, was accompanied by Dulmatin, a Malaysian
electronics expert who designed the 2002 Bali bomb, Mohamad Ali Abdul Rahiman, a
JI intelligence officer and Umar Patek, another suspect in the Bali attack.
No one knows the exact agenda for the meeting, but Dr Kit Collier, a consultant with
the International Crisis Group (ICG), said it would have been for more cooperation
between the terror groups, possibly to plan for deadlier attacks.
The Filipino Islamic group known for kidnappings showed a jihadi thrust last February,
with the bombing of a ferry. Since then much has surfaced to confirm its new hardline
orientation.
Zaki spent the first half of 2003 in Zamboanga and Basilan, in Mindanao, the
Philippines, working closely with the Abu Sayyaf on a joint training programme at
Camp Jabal Quba, according to ICG's backgrounder on the southern Philippines.
Jabal Quba is a JI stronghold, where bombers are groomed.
'JI considered groups such as Abu Sayyaf unreliable in the past,' says Dr Collier, who
wrote the backgrounder.
'That's no longer the case.'
The outskirts of Datu Piang is also a stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) and there are signs Abu Sayyaf and JI members were planning to meet one of
its factions.
The incidents are leaving the Philippine security forces edgy. One of the worries is
that the militants are taking advantage of a ceasefire agreement.
Another is the mounting cooperation between MILF factions and Abu Sayyaf - which
share Afghan links.
Abu Sayyaf founder Abdurazak Janjalani, the current chief's brother, grew close to
Osama bin Laden in Peshawar in the 80s.
Osama's brother-in-law Jamal Khalifa - sent to the Philippines to establish its
South-east Asia cells - helped the MILF, both financially and through training.
With Khadaffy Janjalani now increasingly driven by Islamic beliefs and goals, bonding
between Abu Sayyaf and hardline factions of the MILF is becoming easier.
Terrorism specialists also fear JI's strong gains in the Philippines - the Al-Qaeda
linked outfit is replenishing its cadres and mustering backing for its long-term aim of
creating an Islamic caliphate.
There are also warnings in an internal security report released by the country's
military late last month, confirming that the JI is gaining ground in the Philippines.
It said three Indonesian JI bomb experts were in the Philippines to train MILF
members in bomb-making techniques and had 'standing plans' to launch attacks in
Mindanao.
'The JI remains mobile in central and southern Mindanao while in the company of the
Abu Sayyaf and the MILF' Special Operations Group members, it said.
Dr Rohan Gunaratna, who heads the International Centre for Political Violence and
Terrorism Research in Singapore, said: 'Jemaah Islamiah established a foothold in the
Philippines in 1994.
'It now uses the Philippines as its strategic base - not only for training purposes but
for planning operations and hiring new recruits as well.'
What makes it difficult to counter the problem, however, is the ease with which the
militants move between Indonesia and the Philippines.
Dulmatin, who also escaped being killed in the Nov 19 raid that targetted Janjalani,
made it for the Datu Piang meeting, despite figuring high on the region's most wanted
list.
A former JI member - who spoke on condition of anonymity - said: 'Travelling is not a
problem. You can go either directly from Indonesia to the Philippines or enter General
Santos city via Malaysia.'
The preferred route is to head from Balikpapan in Kalimantan Timur to Manado in
Sulawesi, then to Sangihe island and, from there, to Mindanao via boat, he said.
Access apart, observers hold a failure of governance responsible for the rise in
militancy that is feeding on the growing resentment in the area, as fewer and fewer
economic benefits flow through while hardships continue.
The air strikes last month, incidentally, left mainly civilians dead or injured. Several
homes were destroyed and dozens found themselves displaced.
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