Yearender: War on terror drew RP closer to SEA
December 28, 2002 | 12:00am
A year after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, awareness of the terrorist threat has increased tremendously worldwide.
The global war on terror opened up new opportunities for cooperation among law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia, home to a terrorist cell affiliated with Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network.
In 2002, Manila’s campaign against terror resulted in the arrest of several suspected foreign and local terrorists, which helped foil bomb attacks not only in the Philippines but also in neighboring countries.
Chief Superintendent Roberto Delfin, Philippine National Police (PNP) director for intelligence, said the country is at par with its counterparts in Southeast Asia in fighting terror.
As President Arroyo showed full support to the United States in its campaign against terror, the PNP did its part by arresting suspected terrorists in several operations.
"So far, we have achieved our goals in terrorism in terms of arresting the suspects in the Zamboanga and Cotabato bombings. There were also arrests made in Metro Manila and attempts to sow terror here were foiled," Delfin said.
In terms of regional cooperation, Delfin said the country exchanged intelligence information with other countries.
"There is good sharing of information between countries, and this helped a lot," he added.
PNP intelligence group director Chief Superintendent Jaime Caringal shared Delfin’s view.
"We have contributed our share in the total war against terrorism. We have effectively preempted whatever plans they have (such as) to establish local cells and strengthen their foothold in Southeast Asia," he said.
Caringal added that one of the best things the Arroyo administration achieved in the global campaign against terrorism is sustaining cooperation with its Asian neighbors.
"I think we were able to foster very good cooperation with our neighbors, and our exchange made possible the neutralization of so many members of terrorist groups operating in the country," Caringal told The STAR.
Documents showed that the PNP’s campaign from January to October this year resulted in the arrest of Indonesian Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi and other suspected international terrorists in the country.
More operations that followed in November and December focused on the local Abu Sayyaf and secessionist groups which have reportedly linked up to sow terror in Metro Manila.
Police authorities have started unveiling the mystery surrounding Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) following the arrest of Al-Ghozi on Jan. 15, 2002, in Quiapo, Manila.
The JI, an Islamic fundamentalist group led by Indonesian cleric Abubakar Bashir, is said to be a terror cell of al-Qaeda network of international fugitive Osama bin Laden operating in Southeast Asia.
Bashir is now detained by Indonesian authorities after his group was identified as among those who carried out the Bali bombing which left nearly 200 people dead and scores wounded last Oct. 12.
Following Al-Ghozi’s arrest, authorities claimed to have thwarted plans of the group to conduct more bombings in Singapore and the Philippines for the rest of the year.
Authorities attributed the arrest of Al-Ghozi to good exchange of intelligence information between the Philippine law enforcement agencies and their Singaporean counterparts.
The intelligence community said JI is targeting the US embassy, the Australian High Commission, the British and Israeli missions, and commercial buildings housing some of the American business interests in the country and in Singapore.
In follow-up operations in Maguindanao and General Santos City, authorities arrested brothers Mohammad, Almuctar and Mualidin Malagat on Jan. 17 and seized over a ton of explosives and bomb-making devices.
Al-Ghozi had confessed participation in the Rizal Day bombings in Metro Manila in December 2000 that left 22 people dead and over a hundred others wounded.
He revealed his membership in the JI, which he described as a highly selective group aiming to carve out an Islamic state in Southeast Asia.
Caringal said the arrest of Al-Ghozi was "very instrumental" since it also led to the arrest of other members of the group, including Agus Dwikarna, Tamsil Linrung and Abdul Jamal Balfas on March 13 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Dwikarna remained in custody while Linrung and Balfas were released following high level talks between Indonesian Prime Minister Megawati Sukarnoputri and Mrs. Arroyo.
PNP officials said Al-Ghozi, who possesses several spurious passports of different names, established liaison with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which was said to have trained other members of the group from Malaysia and Singapore.
With financial help from other international terror groups, foreign terrorists were trained in explosives, bomb-making and handling of sophisticated weapons and gadgets in MILF camps in Maguindanao. Others were also trained at JI camps in southern Malaysia.
A background information on Al-Ghozi revealed he established links with Muklis Yunos, head of the MILF’s special operations group.
Al-Ghozi met Yunos while training in Afghanistan. Authorities believed he also headed the JI terror cell in the Philippines.
"Al-Ghozi carefully established the cell, opening bank accounts, networking and recruiting. He also learned the local language well enough that he almost passed himself off as a Filipino," an intelligence official said.
Authorities revealed it was Al-Ghozi who contacted and recruited Yunos to assist and finance the Rizal Day bombings.
Police sources disclosed Al-Ghozi withdrew P250,000 from a bank in November 2000 and gave the amount to MILF to purchase 70 kilos of high explosives to be used in the bombings.
Al-Ghozi was later sentenced to 12 years imprisonment at by a General Santos City court for illegal possession of explosives.
To give more emphasis on anti-terrorism efforts, the PNP launched a campaign that included illegal aliens to discourage using the country as a base of international terror groups.
Police were discreet in the arrest of Nedhal Falah Awwad Al-Dhalain, an undocumented Jordanian suspected of funding several Islamic groups in the country.
"His (Dhalain) arrest contributed to the disruption of operations of local threat groups at the height of the Fitmart Mall bombing (in Zamboanga City) last April," a PNP confidential documents on Al-Dahlain’s arrest revealed.
Authorities further established the links between the MILF, the bandit Abu Sayyaf group and JI following the arrests of Oscar Makawata, Fernando Mohammad Sala, and three Indonesians identified as Jaka Antari, Julkri Letemboba and Rahman Yanis on Sept. 12.
For lack of appropriate anti-terror laws, authorities merely charged them with violating immigration laws.
Immigration and police officials also arrested in Bataan 36-year old Jordanian businessman Mohammad Amin Al-Ghafarri on Oct. 7 on suspicions that he was financing several suspected al-Qaeda terror cells located in Pangasinan and Tarlac.
Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo, however, admitted they have no direct evidence linking al-Ghafarri to terrorism even as police arrested nine other suspected members of Rajah Solaiman Movement at a Muslim compound in Anda, Pangasinan and San Clemente, Tarlac.
Authorities seized several high-powered firearms and Islamic pamphlets in the 18-hectare compound owned by Ahmed del Rosario while immigration authorities opted to deport al-Ghafarri.
Delfin claimed al-Ghafarri also provided financial support to anti-US groups in carrying out mass protests in front of the US and Israeli embassies.
PNP intelligence officials added al-Ghafarri had links to Mohammad Jamal Khalifa, a Saudi national married to a Filipina. Khalifa is reportedly a brother-in-law of Bin Laden.
An American Green Beret soldier and two Filipino civilians were killed in an explosion on Oct. 2, just in front of a military outpost in Malagutay, Zamboanga City.
Another explosion made the headlines when another homemade bomb exploded inside a Weena bus terminal in Kidapawan City a week later.
Blasts also rocked the Shop-o-Rama and Shopper’s Central in Zamboanga City on Oct. 17. Three people were killed while scores were hurt in both explosions.
This prompted PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane to place the entire police force on the highest alert while assuring the public that the PNP is on top of the situation.
The red alert status was implemented barely a few weeks following the Bali bombing attack. Policemen were ordered to stay on full alert after the bombing of a passenger bus in Balintawak, Quezon City on Oct. 18, which left two people dead.
The bomb attacks also prompted Mrs. Arroyo to order local government officials to activate bomb-incident centers all over the country.
Director Avelino Razon, chief of the PNP Human Resource and Doctrine Development, said the centers were formed with the aim of collating and analyzing explosion data in cases of terror-related explosions.
He said the centers have served as a data base of all information on all post-blast investigations.
Police intelligence operatives arrested 21-year old Mark Bolkerin Gumbahale on Oct. 17 in Maharlika Village in Taguig.
Gumbahale has admitted to The STAR that there are some Abu Sayyaf members who have sneaked into Metro Manila to carry out bomb attacks.
Gumbahale’s statements were later used in arresting more suspected Abu Sayyaf members who were seen arriving at the North Harbor in Manila.
On Oct. 23, the President presented to the media five suspected Abu Sayyaf members arrested by intelligence operatives.
Authorities later said they foiled a plot by the suspects to bomb the Ortigas flyover, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) building.
Superintendent Paterno Orduna of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said they have also discovered the involvement of the MILF after one of the suspects, Bas Ismael, admitted he was a recruit of Abu Sulaiman, a ranking Abu Sayyaf leader.
This apparently confirmed the alliance between the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF.
On Nov. 12, authorities arrested Abdulmukim Ong Edris in Pasay City.
They said Edris was planning to bomb the Manila Stock Exchange, the US Embassy, and various shopping malls in Metro Manila, and disrupt Metro Rail Transit operations.
In planning the attacks, police said terror groups were aiming to gain international mileage, ensure massive casualties and destroy business confidence in the country.
Edris’ revelations of another terror plot prompted the authorities to continually place the PNP on full alert status even after the one-month Ramadan period from Nov. 7.
Police said Edris was part of an "advance party" which will carry out the bombing attacks in Metro Manila.
The suspect was tagged as behind the bombing of Puericulture Food Center Court on Oct. 28, 2001 and bombings of two shopping malls in Zamboanga City.
Edris admitted having trained at an Abus Sayyaf camp in Mindanao supervised by two Yemenis. He also admitted participating in the Dos Palmas resort kidnapping in May 2001.
"The neutralization of Edris has greatly disrupted the ASG’s terrorist plans," the PNP said.
The continuing campaign led to the arrest of another Abu Sayyaf member, Ismael Gani, on Nov. 14 in Zamboanga City.
Even before the Australian, Canadian and the European Union missions closed down last Nov. 28, the PNP was already preparing against the possibility that the missions might be attacked by terrorists.
Chief Superintendent Prospero Noble, chief of the Police and Security Protection Office that handles the security of embassies and diplomats, said stringent measures had been implemented as early as October in the spate of bombings rocking southern Philippines.
Despite the assurance of full security, the embassies closed down citing "specific and credible threats" against their missions.
Police also confirmed earlier reports in the international community that terror groups will utilize truck bombs against US interests in the Southeast Asian region, including the Philippines.
Military and police sources told The STAR that local terror groups with international links and funding will carry out the attack from "November and onwards."
The plans entail the use of truck bombs loaded with several drums of ammonium nitrate connected with detonating cords. These will be activated with the use of cellular phones," a ranking military official told The STAR.
Edris later confirmed the bomb attack plans during interrogation
The plan to attack Metro Manila was hatched as early as July 2001 when the Abu Sayyaf reportedly sent an emissary in Kuala Lumpur to meet with top al-Qaeda leaders.
Police said two al-Qaeda operatives were sent to Basilan three weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks in the US last year.
The two al-Qaeda men, both Yemenis, reportedly supervised the training of selected members of Abu Sayyaf, including Edris.
Lawmakers had called on the resignation of Col. Victor Corpus, chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), on alleged intelligence failure over the series of bombings in Mindanao and Metro Manila.
Corpus admitted "there is no perfect intelligence" in both the military and the police.
"There is no perfect intelligence. Even the Israelis (Mossad), one of the best intelligence units in the world, cannot preempt when these groups will sow terror and they get bombs almost every week," he said.
An intelligence fiasco, however, occurred when a PNP official reportedly leaked out an "unvalidated" information which led to the closure of the embassies on Nov. 28.
Ebdane later ordered the relief of Superintendent George Gaddi, intelligence chief of the Western Police District (WPD), for leaking out sensitive information without proper clearance and validation from his superiors.
"It is unfortunate that such incident happened, as this affects the system of the information sharing among countries," the PNP chief said.
Ebdane stressed "we have a standing protocol that must be followed at all times, except in matters of extreme emergency. And even the information is ‘very hot’, it must still pass through proper channels."
"We shall continue to be vigilant, we shall continue to cooperate, exchange information to ensure the security and peace in the country," Caringal said.
Caringal added that the relentless anti-terrorism campaign also prompted government officials to maintain "irrelevant and working liaison" with the international community.
For his part, Delfin expressed belief that the government, particularly the PNP, is more prepared in facing terrorism on the local and international fronts, more particularly after the Sept. 11 attacks.
"Our spirits are high and we remain positive that we are more prepared to face the challenges of terror groups because of our vigilance and the good cooperation we have with our neighboring countries," Delfin said.
The global war on terror opened up new opportunities for cooperation among law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia, home to a terrorist cell affiliated with Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network.
In 2002, Manila’s campaign against terror resulted in the arrest of several suspected foreign and local terrorists, which helped foil bomb attacks not only in the Philippines but also in neighboring countries.
Chief Superintendent Roberto Delfin, Philippine National Police (PNP) director for intelligence, said the country is at par with its counterparts in Southeast Asia in fighting terror.
As President Arroyo showed full support to the United States in its campaign against terror, the PNP did its part by arresting suspected terrorists in several operations.
"So far, we have achieved our goals in terrorism in terms of arresting the suspects in the Zamboanga and Cotabato bombings. There were also arrests made in Metro Manila and attempts to sow terror here were foiled," Delfin said.
In terms of regional cooperation, Delfin said the country exchanged intelligence information with other countries.
"There is good sharing of information between countries, and this helped a lot," he added.
PNP intelligence group director Chief Superintendent Jaime Caringal shared Delfin’s view.
"We have contributed our share in the total war against terrorism. We have effectively preempted whatever plans they have (such as) to establish local cells and strengthen their foothold in Southeast Asia," he said.
Caringal added that one of the best things the Arroyo administration achieved in the global campaign against terrorism is sustaining cooperation with its Asian neighbors.
"I think we were able to foster very good cooperation with our neighbors, and our exchange made possible the neutralization of so many members of terrorist groups operating in the country," Caringal told The STAR.
Documents showed that the PNP’s campaign from January to October this year resulted in the arrest of Indonesian Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi and other suspected international terrorists in the country.
More operations that followed in November and December focused on the local Abu Sayyaf and secessionist groups which have reportedly linked up to sow terror in Metro Manila.
Police authorities have started unveiling the mystery surrounding Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) following the arrest of Al-Ghozi on Jan. 15, 2002, in Quiapo, Manila.
The JI, an Islamic fundamentalist group led by Indonesian cleric Abubakar Bashir, is said to be a terror cell of al-Qaeda network of international fugitive Osama bin Laden operating in Southeast Asia.
Bashir is now detained by Indonesian authorities after his group was identified as among those who carried out the Bali bombing which left nearly 200 people dead and scores wounded last Oct. 12.
Following Al-Ghozi’s arrest, authorities claimed to have thwarted plans of the group to conduct more bombings in Singapore and the Philippines for the rest of the year.
Authorities attributed the arrest of Al-Ghozi to good exchange of intelligence information between the Philippine law enforcement agencies and their Singaporean counterparts.
The intelligence community said JI is targeting the US embassy, the Australian High Commission, the British and Israeli missions, and commercial buildings housing some of the American business interests in the country and in Singapore.
In follow-up operations in Maguindanao and General Santos City, authorities arrested brothers Mohammad, Almuctar and Mualidin Malagat on Jan. 17 and seized over a ton of explosives and bomb-making devices.
Al-Ghozi had confessed participation in the Rizal Day bombings in Metro Manila in December 2000 that left 22 people dead and over a hundred others wounded.
He revealed his membership in the JI, which he described as a highly selective group aiming to carve out an Islamic state in Southeast Asia.
Caringal said the arrest of Al-Ghozi was "very instrumental" since it also led to the arrest of other members of the group, including Agus Dwikarna, Tamsil Linrung and Abdul Jamal Balfas on March 13 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Dwikarna remained in custody while Linrung and Balfas were released following high level talks between Indonesian Prime Minister Megawati Sukarnoputri and Mrs. Arroyo.
PNP officials said Al-Ghozi, who possesses several spurious passports of different names, established liaison with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which was said to have trained other members of the group from Malaysia and Singapore.
With financial help from other international terror groups, foreign terrorists were trained in explosives, bomb-making and handling of sophisticated weapons and gadgets in MILF camps in Maguindanao. Others were also trained at JI camps in southern Malaysia.
A background information on Al-Ghozi revealed he established links with Muklis Yunos, head of the MILF’s special operations group.
Al-Ghozi met Yunos while training in Afghanistan. Authorities believed he also headed the JI terror cell in the Philippines.
"Al-Ghozi carefully established the cell, opening bank accounts, networking and recruiting. He also learned the local language well enough that he almost passed himself off as a Filipino," an intelligence official said.
Authorities revealed it was Al-Ghozi who contacted and recruited Yunos to assist and finance the Rizal Day bombings.
Police sources disclosed Al-Ghozi withdrew P250,000 from a bank in November 2000 and gave the amount to MILF to purchase 70 kilos of high explosives to be used in the bombings.
Al-Ghozi was later sentenced to 12 years imprisonment at by a General Santos City court for illegal possession of explosives.
Police were discreet in the arrest of Nedhal Falah Awwad Al-Dhalain, an undocumented Jordanian suspected of funding several Islamic groups in the country.
"His (Dhalain) arrest contributed to the disruption of operations of local threat groups at the height of the Fitmart Mall bombing (in Zamboanga City) last April," a PNP confidential documents on Al-Dahlain’s arrest revealed.
Authorities further established the links between the MILF, the bandit Abu Sayyaf group and JI following the arrests of Oscar Makawata, Fernando Mohammad Sala, and three Indonesians identified as Jaka Antari, Julkri Letemboba and Rahman Yanis on Sept. 12.
For lack of appropriate anti-terror laws, authorities merely charged them with violating immigration laws.
Immigration and police officials also arrested in Bataan 36-year old Jordanian businessman Mohammad Amin Al-Ghafarri on Oct. 7 on suspicions that he was financing several suspected al-Qaeda terror cells located in Pangasinan and Tarlac.
Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo, however, admitted they have no direct evidence linking al-Ghafarri to terrorism even as police arrested nine other suspected members of Rajah Solaiman Movement at a Muslim compound in Anda, Pangasinan and San Clemente, Tarlac.
Authorities seized several high-powered firearms and Islamic pamphlets in the 18-hectare compound owned by Ahmed del Rosario while immigration authorities opted to deport al-Ghafarri.
Delfin claimed al-Ghafarri also provided financial support to anti-US groups in carrying out mass protests in front of the US and Israeli embassies.
PNP intelligence officials added al-Ghafarri had links to Mohammad Jamal Khalifa, a Saudi national married to a Filipina. Khalifa is reportedly a brother-in-law of Bin Laden.
Another explosion made the headlines when another homemade bomb exploded inside a Weena bus terminal in Kidapawan City a week later.
Blasts also rocked the Shop-o-Rama and Shopper’s Central in Zamboanga City on Oct. 17. Three people were killed while scores were hurt in both explosions.
This prompted PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane to place the entire police force on the highest alert while assuring the public that the PNP is on top of the situation.
The red alert status was implemented barely a few weeks following the Bali bombing attack. Policemen were ordered to stay on full alert after the bombing of a passenger bus in Balintawak, Quezon City on Oct. 18, which left two people dead.
The bomb attacks also prompted Mrs. Arroyo to order local government officials to activate bomb-incident centers all over the country.
Director Avelino Razon, chief of the PNP Human Resource and Doctrine Development, said the centers were formed with the aim of collating and analyzing explosion data in cases of terror-related explosions.
He said the centers have served as a data base of all information on all post-blast investigations.
Gumbahale has admitted to The STAR that there are some Abu Sayyaf members who have sneaked into Metro Manila to carry out bomb attacks.
Gumbahale’s statements were later used in arresting more suspected Abu Sayyaf members who were seen arriving at the North Harbor in Manila.
On Oct. 23, the President presented to the media five suspected Abu Sayyaf members arrested by intelligence operatives.
Authorities later said they foiled a plot by the suspects to bomb the Ortigas flyover, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) building.
Superintendent Paterno Orduna of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said they have also discovered the involvement of the MILF after one of the suspects, Bas Ismael, admitted he was a recruit of Abu Sulaiman, a ranking Abu Sayyaf leader.
This apparently confirmed the alliance between the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF.
On Nov. 12, authorities arrested Abdulmukim Ong Edris in Pasay City.
They said Edris was planning to bomb the Manila Stock Exchange, the US Embassy, and various shopping malls in Metro Manila, and disrupt Metro Rail Transit operations.
In planning the attacks, police said terror groups were aiming to gain international mileage, ensure massive casualties and destroy business confidence in the country.
Edris’ revelations of another terror plot prompted the authorities to continually place the PNP on full alert status even after the one-month Ramadan period from Nov. 7.
Police said Edris was part of an "advance party" which will carry out the bombing attacks in Metro Manila.
The suspect was tagged as behind the bombing of Puericulture Food Center Court on Oct. 28, 2001 and bombings of two shopping malls in Zamboanga City.
Edris admitted having trained at an Abus Sayyaf camp in Mindanao supervised by two Yemenis. He also admitted participating in the Dos Palmas resort kidnapping in May 2001.
"The neutralization of Edris has greatly disrupted the ASG’s terrorist plans," the PNP said.
The continuing campaign led to the arrest of another Abu Sayyaf member, Ismael Gani, on Nov. 14 in Zamboanga City.
Chief Superintendent Prospero Noble, chief of the Police and Security Protection Office that handles the security of embassies and diplomats, said stringent measures had been implemented as early as October in the spate of bombings rocking southern Philippines.
Despite the assurance of full security, the embassies closed down citing "specific and credible threats" against their missions.
Military and police sources told The STAR that local terror groups with international links and funding will carry out the attack from "November and onwards."
The plans entail the use of truck bombs loaded with several drums of ammonium nitrate connected with detonating cords. These will be activated with the use of cellular phones," a ranking military official told The STAR.
Edris later confirmed the bomb attack plans during interrogation
The plan to attack Metro Manila was hatched as early as July 2001 when the Abu Sayyaf reportedly sent an emissary in Kuala Lumpur to meet with top al-Qaeda leaders.
Police said two al-Qaeda operatives were sent to Basilan three weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks in the US last year.
The two al-Qaeda men, both Yemenis, reportedly supervised the training of selected members of Abu Sayyaf, including Edris.
Corpus admitted "there is no perfect intelligence" in both the military and the police.
"There is no perfect intelligence. Even the Israelis (Mossad), one of the best intelligence units in the world, cannot preempt when these groups will sow terror and they get bombs almost every week," he said.
An intelligence fiasco, however, occurred when a PNP official reportedly leaked out an "unvalidated" information which led to the closure of the embassies on Nov. 28.
Ebdane later ordered the relief of Superintendent George Gaddi, intelligence chief of the Western Police District (WPD), for leaking out sensitive information without proper clearance and validation from his superiors.
"It is unfortunate that such incident happened, as this affects the system of the information sharing among countries," the PNP chief said.
Ebdane stressed "we have a standing protocol that must be followed at all times, except in matters of extreme emergency. And even the information is ‘very hot’, it must still pass through proper channels."
Caringal added that the relentless anti-terrorism campaign also prompted government officials to maintain "irrelevant and working liaison" with the international community.
For his part, Delfin expressed belief that the government, particularly the PNP, is more prepared in facing terrorism on the local and international fronts, more particularly after the Sept. 11 attacks.
"Our spirits are high and we remain positive that we are more prepared to face the challenges of terror groups because of our vigilance and the good cooperation we have with our neighboring countries," Delfin said.
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