Who are the terrorists?

A few weeks ago, a man killed 38 people and 67 were injured out of his rampage at Resort’s World, Manila. Last week, a gunman started firing at US lawmakers who were practicing for a Congressional Baseball Game wounding Steve Scalise and injuring four others after 50 rounds of gunshots. A few days ago, a British van driver mowed down Muslim worshippers killing one while eleven were injured. There are many other similar incidents worldwide created by fatalistic individuals or groups creating havoc and paranoia to the public.

Why shouldn’t we be concerned about the latest trend of terrorist attacks? Whether it is for a political, religious or personal cause/ reason, the mere fact that these lunatics decide to kill people in unlawful ways to me is considered terrorism (the act of “terror” or causing extreme fear).

Major terrorist attacks recorded around the world include Ivory Coast, Belgium, Pakistan, Iraq, and Turkey. Records show that the number of terrorist incidents worldwide, and the number of fatalities they cause, has increased alarmingly in recent years, all driven by events in just five countries – Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria.

Terror attacks by Islamist extremists are perceived to be due to Islamist religious or political cause. The attackers use tactics such as arson, vehicle rampage attacks, bomb threats, suicide attacks, bombings, spree shooting, stabbings, hijackings, kidnappings and beheadings. Considered worst terror attacks are: hijacking of Air France flight 8969 in Algiers in the 1990’s; September 11 US attack (otherwise known as 9/11); the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack; 2009 Marriot & Ritz-Carlton Hotels bombing in Jakarta, Indonesia; 2013 Boston Marathon bombing; 2015 Chattanooga Shootings; 2015 most fatal series of terrorist attacks in Paris; 2015 Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris; 2016 mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida; 2016 Suicide bombing at Terminal 2 of Ataturk Airport in Istanbul; 2017 London Bridge attack; 2017 Manchester Arena bombing; 2017 Paris shooting at Champs Elysees; 2017 Stockholm terror attack; 2017 London terror attack; and the most recent Finsbury Park mosque attack among others. ISIS have claimed responsibility for most of these killings.

European and world leaders expressed shock, sympathy and condemnation for what seems to be a global war on terror. After the Manchester attack, US president Donald Trump said that the “wicked ideology” of the “evil losers” responsible for the attacks must be “completely obliterated.” Russian president, Vladimir Putin said he was willing to boost anti-terrorism cooperation with the UK after a “cynical, inhuman crime”, and expected that those behind it will not escape the punishment they deserve. German chancellor Angela Merkel resolved to work with their British friends against those who plan and execute such inhuman acts. France newly-elected president Emmanuel Macron expressed horror and distress and sent compassion and solicitude to the British people.

It is a fact that these terrorists have always been lurking in the shadows, watching, and waiting for the right time to attack. All the military efforts of the different countries seem not to work at all. At the rate, these killings are happening lately, it looks like we have been indirectly empowering extremism, perhaps even backing up, investing and supporting the very same people who are now attacking us.

Our country, the Philippines has not been spared. Research show that since January 2000 radical Islamist groups and Islamist separatist forces in the Philippines have carried out over 40 major bombings against civilians and civilian property, mostly in the southern regions of the country around Mindanao, Basilan, Jolo and other nearby islands.

Numerous bombings have also been carried out in and around Metro Manila, several hundred kilometers from the conflict in the southern regions, due to its political importance. In the period from 2000 to 2007 attacks killed nearly 400 Filipino civilians and injured over one thousand five hundred with more casualties than those caused by bombings and other attacks in Indonesia, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, or Britain during the same period.

The most dangerous blunder of all was the “return” of Camp Abubakar, which was captured at a great cost in lives, sacrifice, and treasure, by our valiant armed forces, to the "families" of the rebels. My dad, the late Max Soliven asked to mark his words, that they will rebuild it again into a formidable fortress. In the next round of fighting, retaking Abubakar – and Rajamuda – will be an even more difficult and bloody proposition. For, with every respite we grant them, the rebels learn from their tactical mistakes.

What replaced Malaysian support for the MNLF and MILF is now much bigger and much more dangerous. In 2013, Philippine troops fought their way to retake a series of villages near Zamboanga city, where members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) were holding about 100 people hostage. More than 50 people died in the violence.

Zamboanga is the 6th largest city in the country and 3/4 Christian and an obvious target for the MNLF Muslim terrorists (who are of course denying responsibility and blaming a rogue leader). It’s an obvious target because of its central influence in Mindanao. It’s the city that Muslims want.

Today, fighting has resumed between government troops and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines despite all these hullabaloos on peace talks. Martial law was recently imposed on the island of Mindanao after fighting erupted between security forces and Islamic State-linked militants of the Maute group and Isnilon Hapilon.

My dad used to say that the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao is a domestic problem. Peace with our local rebels must not be negotiated abroad, but in our homeland, within our own territory. We must insist on holding any peace discussions here. There can be no compromising on that. The great American President Theodore Roosevelt once warned that among the things which would destroy America are “peace at any price, prosperity at any price, and the get-rich-quick philosophy of life.” This is what is happening now.

He added: “The Mindanao problem is never solved because, as soon as our government forces achieve success in battle, we always manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by entering into namby-damby peace talks during which the rebel panelists whittle us down by jaw-jaw, talk-talk, promise-promise, and cleverly-conceived propaganda sallies. They prey on our desire for ‘peace’ and foreign applause for our role as ‘peace-makers’. In the old American West, there was only one sort of peacemaker that mattered – the six-gun and the repeater rifle. In every country where rebellion was suppressed, peace had to be imposed. In this country, the silly assumption persists that peace is achieved by ‘talking’ and ‘consensus’. This is not – as some may bleat – the democratic way. It is the way to national suicide and disintegration.”

Now, let’s see how the President will handle this problem. As he said a few days ago, should the rebellion persist, he would declare martial law again, “This time, I will do it on my own to preserve my nation. I will not consult anybody and there is no telling when it will end.” Abangan!