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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Scoobah who wrote (4492)	10/12/2001 5:51:37 AM
From: Scoobah	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Bin Laden's Call for Jihad Weakens Philippine Rebels October 10, 2001 Summary In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, the Philippine government is intensifying its campaign against the Muslim separatist group Abu Sayyaf, which reportedly has links to Osama bin Laden. Government efforts to crush the Abu Sayyaf may now be more successful, as other Islamic militants in the Philippines distance themselves from bin Laden and associated groups. Analysis Three small bombs exploded in hotels in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines early Oct. 8. Philippine National Security Adviser Roilo Golez blamed the explosions on the Abu Sayyaf, a group of Islamic militants with ties to Osama bin Laden. Local media cited Golez as saying the bombs, which caused no injuries, were a diversionary tactic to distract military forces tracking the group on the nearby island of Basilan. On the same day, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a larger separatist group that has a cease-fire with the government, announced it would not respond to calls by bin Laden or Afghanistan's ruling Taliban for a jihad, or holy war, on the United States. The MILF's attempt to separate itself from bin Laden's extremist positions may further weaken the more radical Abu Sayyaf, especially when it is under increasingly intense pressure from government forces and investigators. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has taken a two-pronged approach since coming to power in January in dealing with Islamic militants and separatists in the southern Philippines. On one hand Arroyo pushed forward peace negotiations with the 12,000-member MILF, which had been weakened by a massive military campaign carried out under former Philippine President Joseph Estrada. On the other hand, Arroyo vowed to crush the Abu Sayyaf, which is responsible for a series of kidnappings and bombings around the country. stratfor.com