Saddam execution won’t trigger attacks from local groups — Palace

The execution of former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein would not trigger retaliatory attacks from local terror groups, Malacañang assured yesterday.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, in separate interviews, said Saddam did not have direct and strong links with the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) that would justify retaliatory attacks arising from the execution.

"I don’t think it (execution) would have any significant impact as far as terrorist groups in the country are concerned because there is really not much connection, maybe very indirectly, between Saddam’s regime and the Abu Sayyaf and other (terror) groups here," Gonzales said.

He claimed some terror groups are more loosely connected than perceived but no less dangerous.

The danger lies in the fact that such groups share the same belief in the violent and extremist interpretation of their religion even without direct communication with each other, according to Gonzales.

Ermita shared the assessment made by Gonzales. He said that up to now, there are no credible reports to show strong and direct links between Saddam and the Abu Sayyaf and the JI.

"What we know are relations and maybe even support between the al-Qaeda and the terrorist groups operating in Southeast Asia," Ermita said, referring to the terror network headed by international fugitive Osama bin Laden.

Ermita and Gonzales said it is a standard operating procedure for the authorities to heighten alert levels and intelligence monitoring in the aftermath of events that could spur threat groups into action like anniversaries of terror attacks.

Ermita said authorities are normally on alert during the holidays where terror groups could take advantage of crowds.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Malacañang cannot comment on Saddam’s execution since the Philippines has already abolished the death penalty law.

"After much discussion and study, we have abolished the death penalty so we cannot go against public policy (in commenting on the execution of Saddam)," Bunye said in a telephone interview.

Gonzales, on the other hand, said Saudi Arabia has committed to crack down on groups posing as charitable organizations in the Philippines but acting as conduits for financing operations of terror cells in the region.

Reports earlier said some groups in the Middle East have been channeling funds to some local charitable organizations acting as fronts for the Abu Sayyaf or the JI.

He said Saudi Arabia is "very much interested" in forging formal ties in the area of counter-terrorism.

"Our region is home to Indonesia, the largest Islamic country in the world," he said.

"Terrorism is a global threat and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wants to be at the forefront in the fight," Gonzales said.

"The Philippines and Saudi Arabia may be geographically apart but these terrorist groups do not recognize borders," he said.

Gonzales earlier went to Saudi Arabia and met with his counterparts in the region to lay the groundwork for a possible counter-terrorism treaty to contain the growing interconnection between international and regional terror groups.