Cops on guard following reports of JI recruitment

Police and Military in Central Visayas are on tight guard following reports from the intelligence community that members of the Jemaah Islamiyah are recruiting in some parts of the country.

But Central Command spokesman Lt. Col. Jefferson Umandam yesterday said that such recruitment activity would not prosper in the Visayas because people here are vigilant compared to those in Mindanao.

City police director Melvin Gayotin and Criminal Investigation Intelligence Branch chief Paul Labra said all units have already been alerted in fact yesterday was deadline for the submission of situational reports from the station levels.

Gayotin said there are no reports of recruitment activities happening in the metropolis so far.

The report received by the intelligence community last September 2 revealed that apart from recruitment, members of JI are also set to establish safe houses and operational centers nationwide.

Among the areas where recruitment is said to be taking place include Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, National Capital Region, Bicol and Southern Palawan.

"They will also look for Muslim businessmen who are already established in the country to be utilized for possible channeling of operational funds," the report said.

Thus, provincial and city directors were ordered to assess their respective jurisdiction to possibly identify Balik Islam individuals who might be tapped or utilized for the activity.

The order from the regional headquarters also told concerned officials to identify other contact personalities, names of buildings, organizations and establishments that might be utilized for the project.

JI, a group of terrorists said to be connected to Al Qaeda network of Osama Bin Laden, was also rumored to have tapped the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao years ago for its operations here.