MILF denies coddling JI bombers

COTABATO CITY — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) denied yesterday coddling Indonesians Umar Patek and Dulmatin, two suspects in the 2002 Bali bombings in Indonesia.

The two reportedly sought refuge at an MILF camp somewhere in Lanao del Norte after slipping through a military dragnet in Sulu last month.

The two are members of the Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah, which is believed responsible for most of the terror activities in Southeast Asia.

JI is affiliated with the al-Qaeda global terror network. The two groups are on the US list of terrorist organizations. The homegrown Abu Sayyaf reportedly has links with the two terror groups.

Khaled Musa, vice chairman of the MILF’s information committee, said the reports were "rumors" and possibly aimed at derailing the group’s peace negotiations with the government.

Musa said the MILF, in keeping with its low-level agreement with government on the treatment of terrorists and criminals in its strongholds, is ready to help locate the two Indonesians in Lanao del Norte if they are indeed in the province.