By JIM GOMEZ
The US Pacific commander yesterday flew to a southern Philippine island plagued by al-Qaeda-linked militants to visit American troops who are treating the sick and helping build roads and schools.
The predominantly Muslim island of Jolo, about 940 kilometers south of Manila, is a crucial front in the war against Islamic militancy in Southeast Asia. It has served as a stronghold of the small but violent Abu Sayyaf group, which is on a US list of terrorist groups, and has suffered under a pestering image of lawlessness and violence.
Ahead of US Admiral William Fallon’s visit, the Philippine military said early yesterday it has received information from multiple sources that Abu Sayyaf militants were planning to attack government security forces and US troops within the next 24 to 48 hours.
A statement distributed by the Philippine Army’s 104th Brigade urged the public to report any suspicious people and information that may help thwart the militants’ plans.
Hundreds of US troops in southern Philippines have played a key role not only in training Filipino soldiers but in development projects to isolate the terrorists and win over local populations.
A US Navy hospital ship, the USNS Mercy, steamed close to Jolo’s shore a few days ago to provide free medical services to poor villagers. Other American troops on Jolo have helped repair roads, bridges and schools and treat the sick for months.
The Abu Sayyaf, which has been linked to Osama bin Laden’s terror network, is notorious for deadly bombings, beheadings and kidnappings. Although Philippine military offensives have whittled down guerrillas to a few hundred in recent years and kept them mostly on the run, the ragtag group has been blamed for recent bomb attacks and killings of several Philippine marines on Jolo.
Security officials believe the Abu Sayyaf’s elusive leader, Khaddafy Janjalani, may be hiding on the jungle-clad island possibly with a few allies from Jemaah Islamiyah, an Indonesian-based group blamed for terror attacks and plots across the region.
The guerrillas have plotted against but have failed to harm heavily protected American troops on Jolo, a police intelligence official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t not authorized to talk to reporters.
Barred by the Philippine Constitution from engaging in local combat, US forces have instead trained and armed Filipino troops battling Muslim insurgents and launched humanitarian missions across the southern Mindanao region, which includes tiny Jolo. (Associated Press)
|
