Mandaue Muslims back jihad but only in prayers

CEBU — Some members of the Muslim community in Mandaue City have expressed all-out support to the call of Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden for a holy war or "jihad."

They, however, quickly qualified their support as limited to prayers because they have no firearms to combat the United States, said Muslim community leader Hadji Najeeb Andang.

Andang said he does not believe that bin Laden is a terrorist, describing him as a Muslim who has strong faith in what he believes in.

Meanwhile, regional police community relations chief Ronald Roderos met with Hadji Nashier Ismael, chairman of the Metro Cebu Muslim Peace and Order Council, the other day to assure him that the police are not targeting Muslims but people who have links with terrorists.

Roderos said they renewed their commitment that the police and the Muslim community must help each other to maintain peace and order in Metro Cebu.

Ismael again promised to report immediately to the police any suspicious-looking persons who might be members of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

He also promised to talk to Sultan Hadji Bahad, leader of the Muslim community in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, who earlier expressed willingness to join the call for jihad.

According to Roderos, Ismael is against the call for jihad but favors peaceful demonstrations since he does not want chaos in Cebu. — Freeman News Service