Michael, I can't express my sorrow for what happened. My heart aches for the Victims and their families. One consolation is that we did not lose you. I was thinking, how come Michael is not Posting? --- is he injured ... in the hospital? ... or under the rubbles?
Yes, as Americans we should buy the Dip. Let's support our economy for the sake of America and the entire World.
To All,
Here's a report about Bin Laden courtesy of ABS-CBN from Manila. Please note that the Abu-Sayaf group whose leaders were trained in Afghanistan together with Bin Laden to fight the Russians were not being supported by well meaning Filipino Muslims. They are a Kidnap for Ransom group who do not hesitate to use civilians (Christians and Muslims alike) as human shields when being pursued by the Philippine Government troops, There's a rumor circulating in Manila that Bin Laden might take refuge in the Muslim area of Mindanao: ---
Thursday, September 13, 2001 12:09 AM ZE8
PNP exec links US attacks
to 1995 Manila terrorist plot
By FERNAN MARASIGAN
TODAY Reporter
The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the United States could be part of the terror plot known as "Project Operation Oplan Bojinka," according to a local police official who made a big contribution in the conviction of terrorist Ramzi Ahmed Yousef by a New York court for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
One of the police officials, Chief Supt. Avelino Razon, Central Visayas police director, said the evidence was seized by the police from the safe house of suspected international terrorists in 1995.
"This could be part of an overall plot [Bojinka or land explosions]," Razon said in telephone interview.
Razon, then chief of the Manila police led a raid at the terrorist safe house at Room 603 Josefa Apartment, Quirino Avenue in Malate, Manila, in 1995 and seized four sets of explosives, several documents and a laptop supposedly storing well-detailed plans of terrorist activities, including the bombing of a Philippine Airlines flight from Cebu to Narita which served as a test run of sorts.
The evidence and the testimonies of some police officers, particularly that of Supt. Alex Monteagudo, led to the conviction of Yousef in September 6, 1996.
Razon is scheduled to fly to the US soon to attend an antiterrorist program, where he will discuss the 1995 raid on the hideout of Yousef in Manila.
Razon suspects that the attack on the US was timed with the anniversary of Yousef's conviction.
"Ang tingin namin dyan, parang itinyempo doon sa conviction ni Ramzi Yousef. Parang retaliation din doon sa conviction," Razon told Today.
Translation: "Looks like they timed the retaliation to the anniversary of Ramzi Yousef's conviction,"
The evidence the police seized also opened up the link of international terrorist Osama bin Laden to local terrorists here. Bin Laden is a brother-in-law of Mohammad Jafal Khalifa, who is maintaining a semilegal organization in Mindanao.
Bin Laden reportedly was married to a Filipina, who is a cousin of Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya.
These organizations authorities believed are being used as fronts by the local terrorists here.
Six years ago, the bin Laden-led international terrorist group have been planning and plotting on how to use commercial airlines to attack the key targets in the United States.
Conceptualized in 1994, Bojinka has its key players like Yousef Abdul Hakim Murad and Wali Khan.
Except for bin Laden, who is now being eyed as the principal suspect of the recent smashing US attacks, the three are now detained in a New York jail after they were convicted of conspiracy in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Yousef was arrested in Pakistan, Murad was nabbed in Manila, and US agents in coordination with local Malaysian intelligence operatives arrested Khan in Kuala Lumpur.
Other intelligence sources said that originally, Bojinka under the guidance of Yousef, will hijack commercial aircrafts flying to the United States from the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, and crash-land them on key US targets.
Philippine authorities uncovered all these plots following the January 7, 1995, raid in Quirino Avenue, Malate, Manila.
It was in this operation that authorities arrested Murad, a Pakistani.
Joint interrogation on Murad by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the local police, would later confirm his claims that bin Laden, through Yousef, had been planning to use commercial airlines to hit US targets.
Murad also told the joint US and Philippine police investigators, that among the key targets by their group would be the FBI headquarters and CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
Before to his arrest, Murad also admitted that he together with several colleagues, had been frequenting the Philippines to establish a cell for their group. In his confession, he also claimed that he took flying lessons in the country.
The establishment of the terrorist cell was confirmed on Wednesday by Armed Forces spokesman Brig.
For other News here's the site: ---
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