Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Threats from Philippines' Abu Sayyaf wane - report
19 Jun 2008 08:25:06 GMT
 Source: Reuters
MANILA, June 19 (Reuters) - Lacking a charismatic leader and short of funds, the threats from the Philippines' most dangerous Islamic militant group had been significantly diminished, a U.S.-based counter terrorism centre said on Thursday.

In its latest report, the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point said the frequency and lethality of attacks attributed to the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf had dropped since 2007 after the death of its top leaders.

The Philippine military has also inflicted crippling blows on the Abu Sayyaf since mounting a major offensive, with the help of U.S. technical intelligence, in 2006.

"Fleeing the authorities and short of funds, the Abu Sayyaf is a diminished threat," said the CTC report, written by counter terrorism expert Zachary Abuza.

"Perhaps, the most telling sign of the Abu Sayyaf's current state is their degeneration to kidnappings...effectively jettisoning what little ideological pretensions the group ever had."

The report said there had been a number of kidnappings from 2007 on the southern troubled island of Jolo, including the recent case of three television journalists and a professor.

Most of these abductions had been blamed on the Abu Sayyaf, which has about 350 members and a track record of decapitations.

In all of these cases, the captives were freed after ransoms were paid, described as "board and lodging fees" to skirt the government's no negotiations and no ransom policy.

The Abu Sayyaf has also been blamed for the worst militant attack in the Philippines, the bombing of a ferry near Manila Bay in 2004 that killed more than 100 people.

Since 2002, U.S. military forces have been helping train and advise local troops to fight the group, pouring about $500 million into combat equipment and development projects to help turn Muslim community against hardline Islamists.

But why have the Abu Sayyaf not been finished off despite Washington's huge military and economic assistance on the south?

The CTC report said part of the problem is the failings of the local military due to corruption, low morale and weak law enforcement and prosecution of arrested jihadists.

It also offered a cynical answer on the Philippine army's little intention of finishing the job because it "would end the pipeline of U.S. training and military assistance". (Reporting by Manny Mogato; Editing by David Fox)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  Direct Relief Offers Aid to Flood-Stricken Midwest
DRI - USA

•  Mercy Corps Launches Innovative Microfinance Program to Help Millions of People in Indonesia
Mercy Corps

•  Families under strain due to skyrocketing food prices
SOS-Kinderdorf International

•  UMCOR Hotline for June 3, 2008
UMCOR - USA

•  AmeriCares Contributes to Iowa Tornado Relief
AmeriCares

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Threats from Philippines' Abu Sayyaf wane - report

•  Myanmar junta gang hits Suu Kyi birthday rally

•  Iraq forces launch operation in southern city

•  Taliban driven out of south Afghan district -governor

•  Crowds seal off Ahmadiyya mosques in Indonesia

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
 Threats from Philippines' Abu Sayyaf wane - report (1 minute ago)

Myanmar junta gang hits Suu Kyi birthday rally (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
 MEDIAWATCH: Food summit thwarts hope (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
 Direct Relief Offers Aid to Flood-Stricken Midwest (1 minute ago)

Blogs
 HAVE YOUR SAY: How have soaring food prices affected you? (1 minute ago)

Maps
 MAP: Precipitation Forecast Tool (interactive map) (1 minute ago)


Country information

Facts & figures
Philippines United States of America Malaysia Indonesia

Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-06-13T124351Z_01_JAK15_RTRIDSP_2_INDONESIA-RELIGION-AHMADIYYA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JAK15.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-06-13T124158Z_01_JAK16_RTRIDSP_2_INDONESIA-RELIGION-AHMADIYYA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JAK16.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-06-13T123923Z_01_JAK18_RTRIDSP_2_INDONESIA-RELIGION-AHMADIYYA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JAK18.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-06-13T123529Z_01_JAK17_RTRIDSP_2_INDONESIA-RELIGION-AHMADIYYA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JAK17.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-06-13T123143Z_01_JAK14_RTRIDSP_2_INDONESIA-RELIGION-AHMADIYYA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JAK14.htm

Members of the Islamic Defender Front (FPI), a hardline Indonesian Muslim group, take part in rally calling for the government to ban the Ahmadiyya religion in Medan, North Sumatra province, June ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Thu Jun 19 08:27:30 2008