Palace supports US action vs terrorists

Malacañang expressed support yesterday for the US government’s move to freeze the financial assets of a Saudi businessman suspected of financing terror attacks through a charity organization based in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the government will continue to play its role to combat terror in the region in support of US initiatives to contain the global menace.

"We welcome the US action cutting the money flow of terrorist cells and we shall maintain our own lawful vigilance against suspicious money transfer that fund the forces of evil," Bunye said.

Bunye noted the US Treasury Department has tagged the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) as fund raisers for the al-Qaeda terror network of international fugitive Osama bin Laden.

The IIRO has branches in Indonesia and the Philippines financing the terror operations of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Abu Sayyaf, the department said.

The US in particular wanted to freeze the financial assets of Abd Al Hamid Sulaiman Al-Mujil, the executive director of IIRO’s eastern province branch in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Mujil has been called the "Million Dollar Man" for his financial support of Islamic militant groups and is considered a major fund-raiser for the JI in Indonesia and the Abu Sayyaf in southern Philippines, the US Treasury Department said.

Bunye said the Philippines, for its part, is helping the US in tracking down the Abu Sayyaf leaders who have been spotted in Sulu.

The Armed Forces is currently on the offensive in hunting down Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafy Janjalani and key JI militants Dulmatin and Umar Patek, who are both wanted on the bloody Bali resort attacks in 2002.

"The Philippines continues to be a strong and leading player in the global and regional war against terror and the Sulu operation is an integral part of that role," Bunye pointed out.

Earlier, Malacañang assured the people that the government would not waver on its commitment to drive out all terror groups using Mindanao as a haven for their operations.

Bunye said Malacañang will cooperate and maintain vigilance in blocking suspicious money transfers in the country.

The US has alleged the IIRO offices in the Philippines has financed the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Philippine anti-terrorism officials led by Ambassador Benjamin Defensor, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Counter-Terrorism Task Force and Ricardo Blancaflor, executive director of Malacañang’s Anti-Terrorism Task Force, have claimed IIRO had already ceased operations in the country.

Blancaflor disclosed the IIRO was among the organizations being monitored by security forces on suspicions of channeling funds to the Abu Sayyaf.

It is widely known that Bin Laden is financing the Abu Sayyaf through his brother-in-law Muhammad Jamal Khalifa who founded the IIRO branch in the Philippines.

Security officials said the pattern of funding by Khalifa indicated that all its activities in Mindanao are only fronts for laundering money for the Abu Sayyaf.