‘300 JI members operating in RP’

DAVAO CITY — Over 300 members of the Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) are now scattered all over the country after establishing connections with their local Islamist counterparts in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a highly placed source told The STAR yesterday.

"They are all over the country. They have scattered into smaller groups or cells and are operating independently, on their own," the source said.

The same source disclosed that the JI training for terrorists in MILF camps has been interrupted by successive military offensives since 2001.

"The military offensives led to these JI members to be on the run, they fled to different areas and could no longer be controlled. That is why you get the bombings in Davao. Expect more bombings because there people are acting independent of the other groups," the source said.

It was learned that the more than 300 Indonesians and other foreign nationals who have trained in MILF camps through the years have not returned to their countries of origin.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has tagged the JI as responsible for the Sasa wharf bombing in the city that killed 16 people and wounded at least 59 others last April 2.

The JI, a regional Islamic group linked by Western intelligence agencies to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network, was blamed for the deadly bombings in Bali, Indonesia which killed 189 people last Oct. 12.

According to Duterte, the JI helped out members of special urban terrorist action group (Sutag) of the MILF in carrying out the bomb attacks.

Sutag represented the JI terror cell in the Philippines, operating independently from the MILF but still part of the rebel organization. The group has been involved in 20 bombing incidents in Mindanao this year.

Police have confirmed the presence of the Indonesian terrorists who reportedly helped carry out the April 2 bomb attack.

Philippine National Police (PNP) director for intelligence Chief Superintendent Robert Delfin had said the same suspects were involved in the Bali bombing.

The five Indonesians, all suspected members of JI, were identified only as Nasruddin, Sulaiman, Zulkifli, Haj Akhmad and Hamja.

Police investigators also disclosed yesterday that at least P80,000 have been spent to finance the bombings of Davao City airport and the Sasa wharf.

A ranking police official disclosed that the five arrested suspects — Esmael Usop Mamalakas, Jimmy Bulalao, Teng Edar, Jobi Bagundang Fermin, alias Tohani Urong and Ismael Akmad, alias Toto — have admitted their participation in the Davao bombings.

Charges were expected to be filed against the suspects before the Davao City Prosecutors Office yesterday.

"What we want to establish is who financed the operations, and those who are on top of the operations," said a senior police official privy to the investigation.

Probers gathered that the bomb attacks were "compartmentalized" since the five suspects were merely ordered to deliver the bombs at the site.

"The arrested suspects claimed they merely followed instructions. The bombs were delivered to them. They did not know who constructed it," the police official said.

Although the suspects were identified as MILF members, police investigators doubted if they are members of the MILF’s special operations groups tagged by Duterte as having carried out the attacks.

During interrogation, one of the suspects claimed at least P50,000 was spent during the airport bombing last March 4 that left 22 people dead and P30,000 more for the Sasa wharf bombing.

Probers, however, admitted they have to find a link to JI in the bombings.

"We have received reports that at least two Indonesians linked to Jemaah Islamiyah were spotted in the area prior to the bombings. We are in the process of validating the information and finding evidence that will clearly establish the JI’s role... if they financed or manipulated the local MILF contacts here," the source said.

Post-blast investigations also disclosed that the explosives used in both bomb attacks were the same type.

A police source claimed the Australian forensics team which assisted in the post-blast investigations initially found this out but was not publicly revealed pending the outcome of the final investigation.

The same forensics team helped in the identification of explosives used in the Bali car bomb blast which indicated the JI was involved in the Oct. 12 attack.

Where they come in

Philippine National Police deputy chief for administration Deputy Director Edgardo Aglipay said they are now checking on all Indonesians entering and staying in the country.

"We will closely look into this matter and take the necessary measures," he said.

The source pointed out how some foreigners can easily enter the country through the ports of Davao City, aside from other ports of entry in the southern backdoor.

"These (foreigners) do not even have to enter through the backdoor because their travels here have been legal and they have proper travel documents. They come either by air or by water. It is just that you will lose track of them once they enter the country. They’re nowhere to be found already," the source said.

It was learned that most Indonesians freely enter the city through Sta. Ana wharf where the Border Crossing Office has been stationed instead of in Kibanban town, Davao Oriental.

"The problem is... these Indonesians are holders of only border passes that allow them to roam only in the place where their boats are docked. But since the border crossing station in Kibanban has been transferred here in Davao City, they enter the city freely," he said.

The high ranking official blamed the military’s Southern Command for not strictly implementing the provisions on the establishment of the border crossing stations.

"Nobody is manning the Kibanban station. They are operating in Davao City and asked all Indonesians boats that enter to divert to the city. So, the entry is as easy as it can get," the source pointed out.

The source even urged Duterte to take a closer look "at his own backyard. "They have been docking at his own backyard," he said.

Davao-based Indonesian vice consul Johannes Manginsela said there are now an estimated 7,800 Indonesians in Mindanao. Of the figure, 300 are living in Davao City, mostly staff and personnel of the consulate.

Manginsela said the recent survey indicated that Indonesians live in the coastal towns of Sarangani and South Cotabato as well as in General Santos City.

The vice consul said the Indonesian government would extend their cooperation with Philippine authorities on the alleged presence of JI members in the country.

"We will cooperate fully as we know the local authorities take the lead in the investigation," Manginsela said.

Sympathy attacks

Analysts and officials warned al-Qaeda linked terror groups in Southeast Asia are likely to exploit Muslim anger and rage over the US-led invasion of Iraq by mounting sympathy attacks.

The constant television broadcasts of jubilation in the streets of Baghdad following virtual control of the country by the American and British troops may not necessarily reflect global Muslim sentiment, Islamic scholars say.

"These so-called terrorists are I think among Muslim groups around the world which are seemingly frustrated by the double standards of the United States," said Abhoud Syed Lingga, chairman of the Bangsamoro People’s Consultative Assembly, the biggest civil society group in Mindanao.

"One clear example of their frustrations is the US claim that it has brought democracy to Iraq. What has happened to the Palestine question which has existed even before Iraq?" Lingga said.

"Even in Indonesia, the US says there are many terror groups there but these are the very groups that existed during ex-President Suharto’s dictatorial regime, which had received military aid from the United States."

The MILF, the biggest Muslim separatist group in the southern Philippines, has been linked to the JI, the Asian chapter of al-Qaeda.

An urban guerrilla squad of the MILF with five Indonesians suspected to be JI members is now being hunted down by police.

Despite recent setbacks sustained by the JI in Southeast Asia, analysts and officials in the region warned the group is still active with 400 to 500 operatives lurking.

Duterte, for his part, also warned of further attacks from the group. — With AFP report