Afghans trained Moro rebs behind bombing?

The military is verifying reports that Afghan bomb and explosives experts have trained Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels allegedly behind the bombing of two buses on board a ferry boat in Ozamiz City last Feb. 22, killing 38 people and wounding 39 others.

Col. Jaime Canatoy, chief of the Armed Forces' Public Affairs Service, said in a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday that due to the sensitivity of the matter, the military is still gathering more evidence showing the foreigners' involvement in MILF terrorist activities.

The military said informants have identified the MILF rebels involved in the bombing as Commander Monib Tumarompong, Colaste Tumarompong, Dim Tumarompong, Liwando Tumarompong and Amano Tumarompong.

"They (MILF rebels) may have been on a test mission when they conducted the bombing after being trained on demolition and sabotage," Canatoy said.

"There are many foreigners roaming in Mindanao in the guise of being missionaries. And some of them conduct their so-called missionary work in the hinterlands where they cannot be seen," he said.

According to military reports, an Arab-looking foreigner was seen carrying a metal attaché case in the Ozamiz pier a few minutes before the explosion.

The foreigner, the reports said, is suspected to be a bomb expert.

Canatoy said the military has yet to coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs which is responsible for lodging diplomatic protests.

"This is a sensitive matter, so we really have to firm up our evidence before we can file a protest," he said.

Earlier, a military intelligence report disclosed that four Egyptian nationals were seen conferring with several MILF commanders at Camp Omar Al Farouq in Maguindanao days before the camp was overrun by government forces last month.

Canatoy also downplayed reports of arms-landing in the South from foreign supporters of the MILF, saying the acquisition of high-powered firearms by the rebel group from foreign sources has dwindled in recent years.

He said firearms seized by the military at Camp Omar were found to be "fake" or made to look like sophisticated weapons from foreign countries.

The Armed Forces has deployed two more brigades of the elite Marine unit to Mindanao in the wake of the recent bombings and hostilities between rebel and state forces.

One of the brigades reportedly left Palawan yesterday morning and was headed for Cagayan de Oro City where they will first report to the Army's 4th Infantry Division before proceeding to their post at the boundary of Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao and Cotabato.

The second Marine brigade, on the other hand, will be deployed to the boundary of North Cotabato and Bukidnon where clashes between state troopers and Moro guerrillas have occurred.

The deployment will mean an additional 3,600 soldiers to the military force in Mindanao and brings to four the total number of Marine brigades deployed to the island.

The military's Southern Command has placed the MILF's strength at 15,000 members, at least 11,000 of whom are armed regulars. The extremist group Abu Sayyaf has 1,107 men, 258 of whom are armed.

The communist movement in Mindanao, on the other hand, reportedly has at least 2,187 active members, 1,088 of whom are armed.

Besides the additional troops, the military is also intensifying its surveillance activities against the "dirty tricks' group" of the MILF.

"We have alerted our intelligence (agents) and intensified the tracking down of suspects," Col. Rafael Romero, Armed Forces' spokesman, said.

Romero said the bombs defused in Pikit, North Cotabato last Monday showed that the group who planted them at a bus terminal and public market was the same one behind the Ozamiz City bombing.

"Our investigation really points to one group," he said.

Meanwhile, government and MILF panels hold their third round of formal talks today in Cotabato City. President Estrada has given both sides until June to hammer out a political settlement. - With Edith Regalado, Roel Pareño, John Unson and Alvin Tarroza