Eagle Eye Security Risk Advisor

Jemaah Islamiyah (JI); News and Udates

2014-07-02T01:07:00.002-07:00

Jemaah Islamiah

Jemaah Islamiah (Arabic: الجماعة الإسلامية‎, al-Jamāʿat ul-Islāmíyatu, meaning "Islamic Congregation", frequently abbreviated JI), is a Southeast Asian militant Islamist terrorist organization dedicated to the establishment of a Daulah Islamiyah (regional Islamic caliphate) in Southeast Asia. On 25 October 2002, immediately following the JI perpetrated Bali bombing, JI was added to the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 as a terrorist organization linked to al-Qaeda or the Taliban.

JI is a transnational organization with cells in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.In addition to al-Qaeda the group is also thought to have links to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid, a splinter cell of the JI which was formed by Abu Bakar Baasyir on 27 July 2008 and was later also added to the U.S. State Department's list of terrorist organizations. It remained very active in Indonesia where it publicly maintained a website as of January 2013.

Abu Bakar Bachir, spiritual leader of JI

History

JI has its roots in Darul Islam (DI, meaning "House of Islam"), a radical Islamist/anti-colonialist movement in Indonesia in the 1940s.

The JI was established as a loose confederation of several Islamic groups. Sometime around 1969, three men, Abu Bakar Bashir, Abdullah Sungkar and Shahrul Nizam 'PD' began an operation to propagate the Darul Islam movement, a conservative strain of Islam.

Bashir and Sungkar were both imprisoned by the New Order administration of Indonesian president Suharto as part of a crackdown on radical groups such as Komando Jihad, that were perceived to undermine the government's control over the Indonesian population. The two leaders spent several years in prison. After release, Bashir and his followers moved to Malaysia in 1982. They recruited people from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. The group officially named itself Jemaah Islamiah around that time period.

JI was formally founded on January 1, 1993, by JI leaders, Abu Bakar Bashir and Abdullah Sungkar while hiding in Malaysia from the persecution of the Suharto government. After the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, both men returned to Indonesia where JI gained a terrorist edge when one of its founders, the late Abdullah Sungkar, established contact with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

JI’s violent operations began during the communal conflicts in Maluku and Poso. It shifted its attention to targeting US and Western interests in Indonesia and the wider Southeast Asian region since the start of the US-led war on terror. JI’s terror plans in Southeast Asia were exposed when its plot to set off several bombs in Singapore was foiled by the local authorities.

Recruiting, training, indoctrination, financial, and operational links between the JI and other militant groups, such as al-Qaeda, the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Misuari Renegade/Breakaway Group (MRG/MBG) and the Philippine Rajah Sulaiman movement (RSM) have existed for many years, and continue to this day (December, 2003).

Bashir became the spiritual leader of the organization while Hambali became the military leader. Unlike the Al-Mau'nah group, Jemaah Islamiah kept a low profile in Malaysia and their existence was publicized only after the 2002 Bali bombings.

Abdullah Sungkar

The JI was founded in Malaysia on 1 January 1993 by Abdullah Sungkar who was there in exile from Indonesia with Abu Bakar Ba’asyir

Riduan Isamuddin

Head of Jemaah Islamiyah

JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH

2013-10-05T01:41:00.003-07:00

Status:	Active
Also Known As (AKA):	AJAI (The Congregation of Muslims), Jamaah al-Islamiyyah, JI, Lashkar Mujahideen, Lashkar Jundallah, Tandhin Qaidatulch Jihat
Formed:	1993
Areas of Operation:	Philippines, Afghanistan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Iraq
Ideology:	Political (Separatist), Religious (Islamist-Wahabbism)
Leader:	Naji Ibrahim
Group Affiliates:	Abu Sayyaf Group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sofia, Al Qaeda, Batalion Abu Bakr, Darul Islam, Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Gerakan Mujahideen, Hukbong Khalid Trinidad (HKT), Indonesian Mujahideen Council (MMI), Islamic Army in Iraq, Islam Pattani (GMIP), Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), Komite Penanggulungan Krisis (KOMPAK), Kumpulan Mujahideen Malaysia (KMM), Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (Let), Laskar Jundallah, Laskar Khos, Laskar Mujahideen, Majelis Mujahideen Indonesia (MMI), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Mujahideen KOMPAK, New People's Army (NPA), Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM), Republik Persatuan Islam Indonesia

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

Jemaah Islamiya (JI) is primarily concerned with the notion of Daulah Islamiyah Nusantara, which refers to the establishment of a pan-Islamic republic that incorporates Malaysia, Indonesia, southern Thailand, and the southern Philippines.

The history of Jemaah Islamiya (JI) begins with two key individuals, Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Ba’asyir. Both men got their start as part of an Islamist opposition to Suharto’s rule in Indonesia in the 1970s and 1980s.[2] Sungkar was connected to the older Darul Islam movement that is currently active in Indonesia but considered fractionalized. In 1972, Ba’aysir and Sungkar established an Islamic boarding school in Solo known as al Mukmin Pesantren (Pondok Ngruji) that created a network of Islamists that would contribute to the formation of JI years later. Among the important individuals who passed through the doors of al Mukmin were Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, and Abu Jibril, both of whom also played a role in the formation of JI. Ba’aysir and Sungkar were arrested in 1978 and sentenced to nine years in prison under anti-subversion laws. However, both men served only half of their sentences and fled to Malaysia in the early 1980s, where they served as ideologues for violent Islamists headed for Afghanistan. It was during this phase, when many jihadis were fighting in Afghanistan during the Afghan-Soviet War, and also retreating to Malaysia to escape the wrath of Suharto, that JI was conceived.

Prior to 1993, Ba’aysir and Sungkar instructed their star pupils and deputies, Hambali and Jibril, to establish a network of militants in Southeast Asia.[3] On January 1, 1993, Sungkar officially made the transition of JI from a political organization to a militant, terrorist organization.[4] Sungkar and Ba’aysir returned to Solo, Indonesia in 1999 after the country’s dictatorship collapsed and democracy was established.[5] Even though responsible for such major operations as both Bali bombings, and the 2003 Marriott bombing, some authorities suggest that JI is beginning to model itself as a less violent organization. Regardless, other researchers note that JI no longer has the ability to commit large-scale attacks on legitimate government or civilian targets. Indonesia and other security forces have conducted effective counterterrorism operations against group leaders, including the captures of JI’s operations chief, Hambali; the chief bomb-maker, Azahari bin Husin; military leader, Zarkasih; military commander, Abu Duhanah; the Singaporean leader, Mas Selamat Kastari; and finally, the death of the Jakarta 2009 bombings mastermind, Noordin M. Top. Jemaah Islamiya does, however, have the capacity to reassert itself as a formidable threat in the future as young, hard-line Islamists grow into adults and take responsibility for the previous generation’s struggle.

Image depicts the site of the Bali bombing plot, planned and carried out by JI operatives, in October 2002 where 202 people were killed

STRUCTURE

JI divides organizational responsibilities between regions, each composed of various committees and sub-committees. There are currently four specific territorial cells throughout the region called “Mantiqis” under the control of the Emir (leader) and the Markaz (leadership council). Each Mantiqi controls a geographic division across Southeast Asia. Riduan Isamuddin, or Hambali, was allegedly the operations chief for JI, and a senior lieutenant of al-Qaeda, that acted as a point of contact between one or more Mantiqis until his arrest in Thailand in 2003. The inner core of JI is made up of a very tight-knit group of individuals, most of who fought in the Afghan-Soviet War.

FUNDING

JI manages its own financing wing, ensuring a steady flow of money to support their terrorist activities. Businesses established by JI operatives are required to contribute 10% of their earnings to the group’s Infaq Fisabilillah (operations fund). Charitable and terrorist organizations have also been linked to JI, including the Medical Emergency Relief Charity, Islamic International Relief Organization, al Haramain, and al Qaeda. Research shows that in a five year period, al Qaeda donated up to 1.3 billion rupiah (approximately $130,000) to JI. There is anecdotal evidence that JI members abroad are struggling to maintain themselves financially, some becoming more involved in the small arms market in Mindanao to sustain themselves. Some international criminal enterprises, such as arms trafficking, are popular among JI operatives. Not only are they able to raise funds from these activities, but it also adds to their arsenal of weapons. JI has been known to conduct extensive robbery and burglary activities in order to fund their day-to-day activities, in addition to large-scale bombing operations.

RECRUITMENT

The pesantren (religious school), al-Mukmin, is one of the more popular pesantrens where Ba’asyir preached his political radical beliefs. Several Jemaah Islamiya (JI) members and leaders were known to have attended pesantrens within Pondok Ngruki. It is believed that JI will always find recruits through such institutions as Islamic boarding and public schools, prisons, and college campuses.

TACTICS

JI operatives have become notorious for their extensive bombing campaigns against Western targets in Southeast Asia. The bombs produced by JI are designed to cause mass civilian casualties, similar to those of al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups. Moreover, the group has primarily targeted Americans, other security forces, or civilians in “soft areas” that are difficult to protect, such as nightclubs and hotels, as opposed to more secure installations. The following three elements have made the group quite successful: (1) tactics designed for mass casualties; (2) hitting soft targets; (3) and targeting Westerners. JI also targets police and security forces from both Indonesia, and Australia.

The organization is responsible for several lethal bombing attacks in Indonesia against Western targets, including the Bali nightclub bombing in 2002 which resulted in the deaths of 202 people, the Marriot Hotel bombing in Jakarta in 2003, the vehicle-born IED attack against the Australian embassy in 2004, the string of tourist site bombings in October 2005 in Bali, and the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings in July 2009 in Jakarta which killed nine people, and injured over 50.

Australian National Rodwell freed by his abductors after 15 months of captivity

2013-03-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

On or about 1:30 dawn of March 23, 2013 the Australian National Warren Richard Rodwell was freed by his abductor in the coastal area near Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in baranay Sta. Lucia following the successful negotiation conducted in Basilan province.

The Abu Sayyaf Group who is known to be a Kidnapped for Ransom Syndicate in the southern part of Mindanao was identified as responsible of kidnapping of Rodwell on December 5, 2011 while he was at his residence at Barangay Sanito in Ipil town Zamboanga Sibugay.

Kidnapped Warren Richard Rodwell together with the P/Inspector Eurem Jay Macasil, Chief of the 903rdMaritime Police Station, based in Pagadian City Port.

The former soldier Rodwell 54 years old had worked as a teacher in China before his marriage to a Filipina Miraflor Gutang. Rodwell settled in Ipil with his wife in 2011.

The Australian National was brought by City Police Chief Senior Superintendent Julius Muñez to Pagadian City Police Station after he was seen and turn-over to them by the concern citizen.

Kidnapped Australian National Warren Richard Rodwell while at the Pagadian City Police Staion.

"Lose weight... skeleton," Rodwell said as he smiled in the video, after he took off his T-shirt and pointed at ribs that could be seen hard up against his skin.

Rodwell joked with policemen and a journalist who took video footage of him for AFP at Pagadian City police station on Mindanao Island, shortly after his kidnappers released him early on Saturday morning.

Rowell was formally turn-over to the Anti-Kidnapped for Ransom Task Group headed by P/Supt Jeff E. Ganged and to the Australian Embassy personnel. The kidnapped victim was flown immediately to Zamboanga City by the U.S military board N214Eb (Evergreen) chopper at 5:00 early morning.

Kidnapped Warren Richard Rodwell feeling at home while at the Pagadian City Police Staion.

Explosive Cache

2013-02-20T17:52:00.001-08:00

On 10 February 2013, at around 9:00 a.m., troops from the 3rd Special Forces Battalion, Special Operations Command of the Philippine Army while pursuing the NPA have seized a New People's Army (NPA) explosive cache in Sitio Bato-Batohan, Barangay San Antonio, Remedios T. Romualdez town, Agusan Del Norte. Recovered inside the arms cache were a two 20-kilogram of anti-personnel/anti-tank landmines, a plastic container filled with 20 liters of gasoline, two rolls of detonating cord each measuring 250 meters and subversive NPA documents. Accordingly, said mission was prompted by tip from the local residents who claimed that the NPA rebels were using the area as explosive and arms depot.

Agusan del Sur NPA surrenders

2013-02-17T21:02:00.001-08:00

A member of the New People’s Army (NPA) whose name was withheld for security reason voluntarily surrendered to the 26th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, based in Barangay San Nicolas, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur on February 11, 2013. According to the army’s report, the surrenderee was a team leader of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 34 under Maximo Catarata a.k.a. Ka Boyet Tindugan of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC). Reports said, subject (the surrendered rebel), was part of the group responsible in many terroristic activities in their area of coverage. The army added that subject was convinced to return to the folds of the law to cooperate with the government after series of symposia and information drives conducted by the AFP, the local government units (LGUs), local government agencies (LGAs) and rebel returnees in the areas in Agusan del Sur. He (the surrendered rebel) brought along with him his M16 rifle with one magazine and ten live ammunition, according to the negotiating teams of the 26th Infantry Battalion

ARMED with search warrant, Sr. Insp. Pepito Reyes of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Northern Mindanao and soldiers from the Philippine Army on the morning of February 13, 2013 raided the house of Pantao Ragat Vice Mayor Lacson Mangotara Lantud of Lanao del Norte that resulted to the seizure of one M60 MG, one BAR, six M203 grenade launchers, two M79 grenade launchers, nine M14 rifles, two M16 rifles, 14 Garand rifles, six short handguns, and assorted ammunitions.

2013-02-14T04:08:00.001-08:00

On 13 February 2013, at least 45 high powered firearms that included machineguns and grenade launchers were seized from the home of the Mayor Eleanor Dimaporo- Lantud in Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte.

The combined forces of the Special Action Force (SAF) from Manila and Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) seized the arms cache on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Mario dela Cruz Jr. of Branch 22 of the Metro Manila Judicial Branch, said Police Regional Office-X (PRO-10) director Chief Superintendent Catalino Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said the search warrant was issued on a charge of illegal possession of firearms against Pantao Ragat Vice Mayor Lacson Mangotara Lantud.

The arms cache, which included a Browning Automatic Rifle, two M79 grenade launchers, six M203 assault rifles with grenade launchers, nine M14 rifles, two M16 rifles, 14 Garand rifles and six handguns and assorted ammunitions are now under the custody of PRO-10 in Camp Alagar, this city.

The firearms will be subjected to ballistic examinations at the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) laboratory to determine if they have been used previously, said RCIDU regional director Senior Superintendent Eliseo Rasco.

Rasco said that Vice Mayor Lantud was on official business in Manila when the raid occurred. His wife, Mayor Dimaporo-Lantud was invited for questioning.

The haul was the biggest seizure so far since the implementation of the gun ban by the Commission on Elections.

Zamboanga Sibugay Province Public Enemy No. 1 Nabbed

2013-02-10T21:52:00.001-08:00

On 05 February 2013, most wanted lawless element leaders of Zamboanga Sibugay Province identified as Munib Aukasa and a certain Abraham Janjalani armed with two caliber .45 pistol and hand grenade were successful apprehended during the joint law enforcement operations conducted between the elements of the army’s 44th Infantry Battalion, 6th Special Forces Battalion, and the operatives of Zamboanga Sibugay PNP Provincial Office at Sitio Tikol, Brgy Langon in Tungawan. (Above is the picture of arrested person, Munib Aukasa)

The said lawless element leader is identified as the responsible for the killing of two soldiers on 15 December 2008 and burning of a Rural Transit bus on 05 April 2011 resulted to the killing of an army officer and his wife and killing and wounding CAFGU Active Auxiliary personnel in Tungawan area.

Records at Tungawan PNP shows from the period January 2010 to June 2012 that Aukasa is also a prime suspect of different incidents; five murders, three frustrated murders, five highway robberies, nine shooting incidents, three arsons and one abduction. The arrested persons were brought to Tungawan PNP station for proper disposition of the case. (Above is Abraham Janjalani photo)

MILF and Army shared a “boodle fight” meal (09 February 2013)

2013-02-10T01:26:00.002-08:00

Soldiers from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (right) and the Philippine Army (left) used to exchange bullets in a gunfight. Last Saturday, they shared a “boodle fight” meal during a briefing in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on security preparations for President Aquino’s visit on Monday (11 February 2013). A joint Army-MILF battalion will provide security for the President and guests on the launching of “Sajahatra Bangsamoro” or Peace Bangsamoro.

MILF and Army soldiers at the briefing on security preparations last Saturday in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. The former foes will provide joint security for President Aquino when he launches “Sajahatra Bangsamoro” on Monday (11 February 2013).

Kidnapped victims returned home

2013-02-08T22:44:00.002-08:00

Kareen Sokolov, the mother carrying her child Timothy together with Yaya Caroline Remetre 17 on her side escorted by the Police operatives arrived at the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) in Pagadian City after they were freed by their abductors yesterday afternoon, February 8, 2013 in Ozamiz City.

The victims were presented by PNP Provincial Director P/SSUPT Thomas Abellar to the media few minutes after their arrival at the Provincial Director’s Headquarter in Camp Abelon, Rizal Avenue Pagadian City 7016 Zamboanga del Sur.

Said victims were released by the kidnappers near Ozamiz City at about 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon, less than 36 hours after the incident.

It was learned that on February 7 at about 6:30 early morning the abductors covered the mouth and nose of the Yaya with a cloth containing chemicals that made her unconscious during the abduction in the vicinity of Rosario Homes Subdivision.

On the other hand, Intelligence record shows that there are at least 19 kidnap groups with over 500 armed members operating in Mindanao area in 2012.

Twelve (12) of these nineteen (19) identified kidnap groups were operating in western Mindanao area, known safe haven of Moro rebels and Islamic militants.

(To know more about the Kidnap-For-Ransom (KFR) groups operating in Mindanao Philippines - you may subscribe to Mindanao Weekly Political Violence, Insurgency and Terrorism Report)

New People's Army burned down heavy equipment in Alegria, Surigao del Norte

2013-02-08T18:28:00.001-08:00

Suspected New People's Army rebels burned down heavy equipment (crane) owned by Dumlao Construction in Brgy. San Pedro, Alegria, Surigao del Norte around 9:20pm Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. According to 30IB Phil Army Spokesperson Capt. Steve Mangabat, 10 unidentified armed men believed to be members of the Guerilla Front 16 torched down and fired the said equipment which is being used in the ongoing construction of a bridge along the national highway of Brgy. San Pedro. Allegedly the torching of the equipment was due to the failure of the owner to pay extortion demands by the NPA. Recovered from the scene were empty shells of AK47. PNP Alegria & unit operatives are now conducting further investigation & cover operation of the area.

New People's Army rebels burn container van in Surigao del Sur

2013-02-08T05:36:00.001-08:00

A container van, belonging to DOLE Company, was burned by armed men in Sitio Saungan, Brgy. Salvacion, San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, at around 8:30 a.m., February 1, 2013.

Loaded with banana fruits, the vehicle was traversing the national highway when flagged down by eight fully-armed rebels, believed to be from the NPA’s Guerilla Front 19A, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).

The driver and helper of the truck were not hurt in the incident.

NPA rebels destroyed six hectares of banana plantations and burned 4 units of backhoe

2013-02-08T05:18:00.001-08:00

Cost of damage may cost millions after heavily armed NPA rebels struck anew leaving behind a swath of destruction in Brgy. Anahao Daan, Tago, Surigao del Sur on January 18, 2013. The communist rebels devastated the banana plantation of DOLE STANFILCO at 9:00p.m. Chop down more than 15,000 fully grown bananas with fruits ready for harvest. As the rebels withdrew to Sitio Batawan 1, NPA fired at 4 units of backhoe and a mini bulldozer when they passed Sitio Ibo of the aforesaid barangay. These heavy equipment, owned by Edilberto Garay of Maa, Davao City, were reportedly parked along the road. Tago Police Station has intensified its intelligence monitoring to track the movement of the Maoist terrorists while nearby police stations were conducting checkpoints. PNP and AFP were directing its collaborative effort to run after the rebels who are believed to be under Guerilla Front 19B led by alias Susay.

Terrorist group threatens to kill Australian hostage (Video)

2013-02-06T04:36:00.001-08:00

TERRORIST group Al Harakatul Al-Islamiyyah has said it will kill Australian hostage Warren Rodwell, in the latest threat to the Australian government.

The threat was accompanied by a new photograph of Mr Rodwell surrounded by masked gunmen. According to social media website Rappler, a post on Facebook from Tuesday by the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group Al Harakatul Al-Islamiyyah shows the gaunt figure of the Australian hostage.

The message contained a threat to kill Mr Rodwell if ransom money was not paid to the group immediately.

Kidnapped Australian in the Philippines Warren Rodwell (December 15, 2012)

2012-12-26T21:35:00.002-08:00

A new video of Warren Rodwell, the Australian national who was kidnapped in southern Philippines last year, was posted on the video-sharing site YouTube. Rodwell has expressed little hope that he will be released by his abductors who are believed to be members of the notorious Abu Sayyaf bandit group.

In the video, Rodwell said, "I do not expect to be released before the year 2013 at the earliest. I personally hold no hope at all for being released. I do not trust Abu Sayyaf."

Rodwell was shown holding the December 15, 2012 issue of the broadsheet Philippine Daily Inquirer. The video was posted on December 25, 2012.

Rodwell was abducted from his home in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, on December 5, 2011,

"This video clip today is to say that I am alive. I am waiting to be released. I have no idea what's going on outside. I'm just held prisoner in isolation," Rodwell said.

"I understand there are some negotiations. I do not get any information, updated information. The people around me normally don't speak English. I understand something is happening but I don't know when," he added. Rodwell said he does not trust the Abu Sayyaf and the Australian government: "I just don't trust anyone. Personally, I don't care."

The video ended after Rodwell looked at whoever was holding the camera and asked, "Is that it?".

ABDUCTED SWISS AND DUTCH NATIONAL IN TAWI-TAWI LAST 01 FEBRUARY 2012

2012-02-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

INCIDENT REPORT: Abducted Swiss and Dutch National in Tawi-Tawi last 01 February 2012.

A Swiss and Dutch National were kidnapped along with their Filipino guide on 01 February 2012 off Barangay (village) Parangan, Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi. The victims were identified as Ewold Horn, Lorenzo Vinciguerra, and Ivan Sarenas. The victims just finished a 14-day bird-watching trip at the time of their abduction. Five armed men intercepted the boat they were riding in on their way back to Bongao. There were three other men travelling with the victims- a policeman, a local town councilor, and the boat skipper- but they were ordered by the kidnappers to jump off the boat. The victims were transferred to another boat which was assumed to be headed towards the direction of Jolo, a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). The tour guide, Sarenas, managed to escape from their captors by jumping off the boat- he was rescued by some fisherman and brought inland to Languyan town where they reported the kidnapping to the police.

This photo of Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland, was released by the Tawi-Tawi police command.

Tawi-Tawi police photo handout shows Dutch Ewold Horn, 52 (left) and Swiss Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47 (right) having a conversation at thier billeting place in Bongao town.

THE PERPETRATORS

The five gunmen were reported to be armed with rifles, pistols and a grenade launcher at the time of the abduction. The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has not been tagged as the ones behind the kidnapping. The ASG is not widely active in Tawi-Tawi- most of its operations are concentrated in Sulu and Basilan.

The kidnappers have not yet contacted the authorities and have yet to make a ransom demand.

SECURITY RESPONSE

A massive search and rescue operation was mobilized by the military in Tawi-Tawi and the nearby islands. Naval troops and Marines were deployed for the rescue of the hostages. The search and rescue operations are concentrated along the swamp areas, mangroves, and vast seas surrounding Tawi-Tawi which consists of more than 300 small islands that border Malaysia.

Security officials are confident that the kidnappers have not managed to slip past the naval blockade around Tawi-Tawi. Police denied reports that the victims have been brought to Sulu province - a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). The Provincial Police Director of Tawi-Tawi, Senior Superintendent Rodelio Jocson, was quoted in a news report saying that a local gang is holding Horn and Vinciguerre- “they were abducted by locals and not the Abu Sayyaf.”

ANALYSIS

There is a perception that the kidnapping could have been prevented had the tour guide and the foreign victims coordinated with security officials with regards to their trip. Since last year, the embassies of the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia have issued travel warnings for their citizens not to travel to Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and the Zamboanga Peninsula, as there have been incidents of the kidnapping of foreign nationals in these areas.

It was first assumed that the kidnappers were headed towards Jolo but the boat used by the kidnappers was recovered by authorities in the town of Languyan, Tawi-Tawi. It was noted that the boat used by the kidnappers was small and did not have any extra fuel to make the 12 hour trip to Jolo. Police also recovered the boat from which the victims were seized and they recovered Vinciguerra’s bag which had more than USD1,000 worth of foreign currencies and Sarenas’ bag which contained expensive cameras.

Authorities took note of the fact that three other potential hostages- a policeman, a town councilor and the boat skipper, were freed by the kidnappers. They also did not shoot Sarenas when he jumped out of the boat, dived into the water and escaped. If the ASG were the ones involved in the kidnapping, it is uncharacteristic of them to let these things pass as they are notorious for their brutality and heavy-handedness with their victims.

It is understandable that the authorities could not entirely rule out the involvement of the ASG. Kidnapping is a known tactic of the ASG and foreign nationals are often sought out as they command a higher ransom. To date, the ASG has one Malaysian, one Indian, one Japanese national, and an Australian national in their custody.

It must be stressed though that the ASG is not the only armed group in the area. Local organized crime groups/armed groups that operate in the area could be the ones involved in the kidnapping. There is the possibility that the hostages could be “turned over” to the ASG for a fee.

The events related to this kidnapping have yet to fully unfold and the analysis of this incident is a work in progress.

AIR STRIKE OPERATION IN SULU 02 FEBRUARY 2012

2012-02-17T05:53:00.000-08:00

INCIDENT REPORT: Philippine Armed Forces Air Strike Operation in Sulu 2 February 2012

Location: Lanao Dakula1, Parang Town, Sulu Island

EVENT SUMMARY:

News reports broke out that three alleged terrorist and rebel leaders belonging to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Jemaah Islamiuah (JI) were killed in a Philippine military operation in Sulu on 02 February 2012. ASG leader Umbra Jumdail (alias Dr.Abu) was killed in the attack. There were initial reports that JI’s Zulkifli bin Hir (alias Marwan), and Abdullah Ali (alias Mauwiyah) were also among those killed but new information disclosed that the two were not in the area at the time of the assault.

PRECURSOR: Intelligence Gathering and Operations Planning

It was confirmed that United States intelligence agencies supplied the information on the three terrorist leaders in the time leading up to the air strike. In December 2011, several JI personalities were monitored to have entered the Philippines. More specifically, the activities of Marwan have been closely monitored since the arrest of another JI operative, Umar Patek, in Abottabad, Pakistan in January 2011. Marwan was supposedly left in-charge of Southern Philippines after Patek’s departure for Pakistan. Days before the air strike, intelligence informants confirmed the presence of the ASG and JI in the area. This was further corroborated by information coming from local villagers who worked with the military to track down the rebels.

OPERATION:

Two OV-10 Counterinsurgency aircraft took off at approximately 0200 from Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City. Both aircrafts were carrying a payload of 2x 500 pound bombs. The aircrafts arrived over at the target site at approximately 0230 – 0300 and dropped the bombs at the terrorist encampment in Lanao Dakula. The area was described to be heavily forested. After the air strike, military troops stormed encampment, whereupon field reports of the three leaders’ deaths started to come in. The assault was described as “brief but precise” and “taking only seconds.”

Map of Area of Operations:

Map showing proximity of Edwin Andrews Air Base to Sulu Island (takeoff and target shown by red “X”) Right: Map of Edwin Andrews Air Base

AFTERMATH:

The force of the 500lb bombs are thought to have thoroughly destroyed both the encampment and the bodies, delaying any positive identification of the bodies.

There are new intelligence reports that claimed that only Dr. Abu was killed and that the two JI operatives were not in the area at the time of the raid. As of 10 February 2012, intelligence sources have denied that Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and Abdullah Ali, alias Mauwiyah, were among those killed. The verified casualties of the air strike are as follows:

1. Umbra Jumdail alias Jumdail, Doc Abu, Abu Pula

2. Iting Jumdail- the son of Doc Abu

3. Hadji Tateh Hayudini

4. Naser Lipae

5. Muin Khalid

6. Abdullah alias Abdul Aziz

7. Abu Daud

8. Muamar

The military’s efforts are now directed towards tracking down the location of the gravesites of those killed in the raid. Muslim religious leaders in the province have refused to cooperate with the military and give information on the location of the graves. The Imams strongly objected to the idea of digging up the cadavers as it goes against their religious beliefs. There is reportedly only one grave which contained five bodies.

BRIEF PROFILE OF ASG LEADER ABU PULA:

Gumbahali Jumdail

Named Doc Abu due to his ability to provide medical aid to injured militants, Jumdail is a Sulu based Abu Sayyaf leader. He is charged with 21 counts of kidnapping and detention of persons against their will. He was notably involved in the Dos Palmas incident, where around 20 people, some of them foreign nationals, were kidnapped by the ASG from a high-end resort in Palawan.

ASSESSMENT:

The death of Dr. Abu is considered as the latest major blow to the ASG and also to the JI as there are reports that Dr. Abu is one of those harboring JI members. Dr. Abu was allegedly in the midst of planning terrorist attacks at the time of his death. The air strikes have raised concerns about possible retaliatory attacks by the rebels and the military is on alert status as a precaution. There are also concerns that the raid has put the lives of foreign nationals held in custody by the ASG at risk.

ABU SAYYAF GROUP

2011-08-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

Also Known As (Aka) al Harakat al Islamiyya

Description: The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8, 1997. ASG is the most violent of the terrorist groups operating in the southern Philippines and claims to promote an independent Islamic state in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, though the goals of the group appear to have vacillated over time between criminal objectives and a more ideological intent. The group split from the much larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the early 1990s under the leadership of Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, who was later killed in a clash with Philippine police in December 1998. His younger brother, Khadaffy Janjalani, replaced him as the nominal leader of the group. In September 2006, Khadaffy Janjalani was killed in a gun battle with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Radullah Sahiron is assumed to be the ASG leader.

Activities: The ASG engages in kidnappings for ransom, bombings, beheadings, assassinations, and extortion. The group’s stated goal is to promote an independent Islamic state in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, areas in the southern Philippines heavily populated by Muslims. The group’s first large-scale action was a raid on the town of Ipil in Mindanao in April 1995. In April 2000, an ASG faction kidnapped 21 people, including 10 Western tourists, from a resort in Malaysia. In May 2001, the ASG kidnapped three U.S. citizens and 17 Filipinos from a tourist resort in Palawan, Philippines. Several of the hostages, including U.S. citizen Guillermo Sobero, were murdered. A Philippine military hostage rescue operation in June 2002 freed U.S. hostage Gracia Burnham, but her husband Martin Burnham, also a U.S. national, and Filipina Deborah Yap were killed.

U.S. and Philippine authorities blamed the ASG for a bomb near a Philippine military base in Zamboanga in October 2002 that killed a U.S. serviceman. In February 2004, the ASG bombed SuperFerry 14 in Manila Bay, killing at least 116 people, making this one of the most destructive acts of maritime violence to date. In March 2004, Philippine authorities arrested an ASG cell whose bombing targets included the U.S. Embassy in Manila. In 2006, the Armed Forces of the Philippines began “Operation Ultimatum,” a sustained campaign that disrupted ASG forces in safe havens on Jolo Island in the Sulu archipelago, and that resulted in the killing of ASG leader Khadaffy Janjalani in September 2006 and his deputy, Abu Solaiman in January 2007. During 2009, the ASG staged multiple kidnappings, beheadings, and assassinations, including the January kidnappings of three Red Cross workers in the southern Philippines who were later released.

The group increased its activities in 2010, which included multiple attacks on civilians, humanitarian organizations, a church, and military and police personnel. There were six reported kidnapping incidents targeting Christians and other civilians. ASG’s most complex attack occurred on the island of Basilan in April 2010 when the group launched a synchronized assault including the use of a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) which resulted in at least 11 deaths and 10 injured. In the attack, armed operatives detonated two VBIEDs and fired weapons at several targets. A third improvised explosive device (IED) targeting a judge was later disarmed by police. There is an alarming trend of indiscriminate ASG attacks directed at civilians as exemplified by the February 2010 shooting that resulted in at least 11 deaths in a small village in the island of Basilan. In December 2010, Madhatta Asagal Haipe, a founding member of Abu Sayyaf, was extradited to the United States and sentenced in U.S. District Court, Washington, DC, to 23 years in prison for his role in a 1995 kidnapping of U.S. citizens.

Strength: ASG is estimated to have approximately 200 to 400 members.

Location/Area of Operation: The ASG was founded in Basilan Province and operates primarily in the provinces of the Sulu Archipelago, namely Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. The group also operates on the Zamboanga peninsula, and members occasionally travel to Manila. The group expanded its operational reach to Malaysia in 2000 with the abduction of foreigners from a tourist resort there. In mid-2003, the group started operating in Mindanao’s city of Cotobato and on the provincial coast of Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao. The ASG was expelled from Mindanao proper by the MILF leadership in mid-2005.

External Aid: The ASG is funded through kidnappings and extortion, and may receive funding from external sources such as remittances from overseas Filipino workers and Middle East-based extremists. The ASG also receives funding from regional terrorist groups such as Jemaah Islamiya (JI), whose operatives have provided training to ASG members and helped to facilitate several ASG terrorist attacks. In October 2007, the ASG appealed for funds and recruits on YouTube by featuring a video of the Janjalani brothers before they were killed.

Umra Kato on doubting the President Aquino governments commitment to peace

2011-07-31T00:45:00.000-07:00

VIDEO : Umra Kato: on reconciliation with the MILF Central Committee Interview of renegade MILF commander Ameril Umra Kato by Beth Frondoso, Newsbreak Multimedia Contributor, Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Camp Omar, Maguindanao.

Umra Kato on reconciliation with the MILF Central Committee

VIDEO : Umra Kato on rejecting the MILF Central Committee leadership Interview of renegade Moro Islamic Liberation Front commander Ameril Umra Kato by Beth Frondoso, Newsbreak Multimedia Contributor, Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Camp Omar, Maguindanao.

Umra Kato on rejecting the MILF Central Committee leadership

VIDEO : Umra Kato on doubting the PNoy gov't's commitment to peace Umra Kato on doubting the PNoy gov't's commitment to peace Interview of renegade MILF commander Ameril Umra Kato by Beth Frondoso, Newsbreak Multimedia Contributor, Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Camp Omar, Maguindanao.

Shabu in the South

2011-07-23T01:18:00.000-07:00

One of the fastest growing drug problems in the world and particularly in our country is Shabu. Official estimates suggest that about seven million people - almost 10 percent of the population - used the drug. A deal of shabu costs 150 pesos. Once confined to the urban middle class, it is now the drug of choice in the country's desperately poor slums and suburbs. Users go to shabu dens where they smoke the drug, although it can also be injected, snorted or dissolved in water.

The drug keeps users awake and, as it is often taken at night, that can impact on work or school the next day unless more is taken. It is a pattern that encourages addiction and health authorities are concerned about the long-term repercussions of the explosion in use.

More than 60 per cent of the world's consumption of crystal meth is in Asia and much of that supply is made by drug lords operating from southern Philippines.

Police are starting to discover industrial-style labs capable of producing a tonne or more of the drug each day. That equates to about 10 million hits a day.

Shabu can be made easily and cheaply from ephedrine, which is used in legitimate drugs such as cough medicine.

The scale of the trade and the depth of corruption it causes is best illustrated by the case of Ronnie Mitra. He was the mayor of Quezon province when he was arrested in 2001 for trafficking more than 500k of shabu he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The shabu crisis is rapidly filling the country's prisons. There is a mandatory life sentence (should be death sentence) for selling even the smallest quantity of the drug. Holding cells are full of young men and women brought in for selling just a few pesos worth.

With a mandatory no bail policy and life in prison, if convicted, the impact on families and communities is huge.

PDEA has unveiled the Philippines new illegal drug centers: the cities of Ozamis, Iligan and Marawi. The drug syndicates may be taking advantage of the areas strategic location as distribution center.

Two shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) laboratories were shut down in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental two years ago. As for shabu trade in Lanao del Sur and the Islamic city of Marawi, I wonder how the drug trade could have prospered when Lanao del Sur has been governed by a succession of religious leaders. . Islam, however, considers consumption of alcohol and addictive substances as a sin. How can Marawi be an Islamic city and be a center of illegal drug distribution?

Dr. Arafat El Ashi, director of the Muslim World League in Canada, wrote an article about the success of Islam against addiction. He maintains that Islam succeeds in fighting addiction by prohibiting intoxicants and asking the faithful to focus on change from within. He further questions how effective the other faiths can be in fighting addiction when these faiths encourage the consumption of wine, an intoxicant. When Islam was introduced to the Arab world, wine was acceptable and consumed by the majority. Islam changed this and the Quran prohibited the consumption of intoxicants. They ask you about wine and gambling, say in them is great sin and some profit for men, but the sin is greater than the profit. The Quran commands the faithful: O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, dedication of stones and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satans handiwork. So eschew it all so that you may prosper. Satans plan is to excite enmity and hatred among you, with intoxicants and gambling and hinder you from the remembrance of God and prayer.

How then did Marawi and the Lanao provinces become drug distribution centers when Islam considers the consumption of intoxicants as a sin? The Moro Islamic Liberation Front wants Islamic law to be fully implemented in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. I wonder whether MILF leaders have brought the Moro drug dealers to justice, under Islamic law. Or have they, as have the other Moro leaders, turned a blind eye to these bringers of death and scourge of our youth, blinded by the gold that drug leaders provide as largesse?

As the Muslim world fasts and the faithful search inward for guidance to go back to the path of the righteous, may our leaders find the strength and the wisdom to fight the scourge of drugs.

Southern Philippine Secessionist Groups

2011-06-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

The Muslim secessionist movement in the Southern Philippines is rooted in the centuries-old resistance of Muslim Filipinos against Spanish colonization. The destruction of the traditional patterns of authority and communal autonomy, curtailment of individual freedom, and the introduction of a new religion fueled the resistance of the Muslims in Mindanao. Unlike their counterparts in Luzon and Visayas, the Muslims of Mindanao refused to submit to Spanish authority. Such resistance has endured to this day. Whereas the communist party aims to overthrow the government to establish a socialist state, Muslim secessionist groups want to cede from the Philippines and form a separate Bangsamoro (Islamic State).

The Muslim separatist sentiment is caused by the following main factors: first, Muslim fear that their religious, cultural, and political traditions may be weakened or destroyed by forced assimilation into a Catholic-dominated Philippine Republic. Second, Muslims resent the influx of migrants from Luzon and Visayas, which dispossessed them of their ancestral and communal lands and turned them into a minority in their own land. Third, Muslims reject the economic underdevelopment and poverty of Mindanao. Rabasa and Chalk notes that 15 of the Philippine’s poorest provinces are located in the region, which also has the country’s lowest literacy rate (75 percent) and life expectancy (57 years). Moreover, most provinces have limited or no access to basic social services, such as electricity and water supply, education, and health. Fourth, is the Mindanao tradition of warlordism, banditry, and blood feuds among ethnic groups.

The Muslim Secessionist Movement is comprised of three groups. The (1) Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF); (2) the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF); and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was founded by Nur Misuari, an educated Tausug, in 1971. The MNLF believe that (1) the Moro people constitute a distinct bangsa (nation) that has a specific Islamic historical and cultural identity; (2) the bangsamoro (Islamic nation) has a legitimate right to self-determination; and (3) the MNLF has a duty and obligation to wage a jihad against the Philippine State. As such, the movement fought for due representation of Muslims in the Philippine political process. In 1996, peace talks between the Government and MNLF have resulted to the establishment of the Zone of Peace and Development (ZOPAD) in Mindanao; the creation of Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD); and Misuari’s election as governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, which gave the Muslims a stake in the political process of the country. Thus, only the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Abu Sayyaf remain in the Muslim secessionist movement at present.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is a breakaway group from the MNLF, which left its parent organization in 1980.

Differences in the two group’s goals paved the way for such separation. The MILF has a more religious orientation than the MNLF. Aside from pursuing nationalist objectives, the group also aims to promote Islamic ideals in the country. Late Hashim Salamat, the former group’s leader states that their political objective is to create a separate Islamic State encompassing provinces in Mindanao where Muslims are majority. The Shari’a (Islamic Law) will be observed in all aspects of life in the said Islamic State. The MILF aims to attain such goal thru da’wa (Islamic preaching) and jihad (holy war). As a revolutionary military force, MILF does not practice indiscriminate violence against civilians. Its violent activities, mostly in the form of orthodox guerilla warfare, are only aimed at the Philippine Military. However, the also group uses terrorist-type tactics to extort revolutionary taxes.

The Abu Sayyaf Group (literally “Bearer of the Sword”), a fundamentalist organization was founded in1989 and was originally named Mujahideen Commando Freedom Fighters (MCFF), due to its link with the Mujahideen movement in Afghanistan. The majority of the group’s members are Muslim youths, with many of the older cadres reportedly veterans of the Afghan war. The Abu Sayyaf does not only want to establish a separate Islamic state governed by the Shari’a. The group also wants this state to be exclusive for Muslims. The Abu Sayyaf does not practice religious tolerance towards non-Muslims. The activities of the group are terrorist in nature and are tied to the integrated effort among Muslim fundamentalists in asserting the dominance of Islam in global politics. The Abu Sayyaf Group received international attention when they abducted and hostaged some foreigners in Sipadan, Malaysia.

Bin Laden's Death and the Implications for Jihadism

2011-05-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

ILLUSTRATION OF ABBOTTABAD COMPOUND

U.S. President Barack Obama appeared in a hastily arranged televised address the night of May 1 to inform the world that U.S. counterterrorism forces had located and killed Osama bin Laden. The operation, which reportedly happened in the early hours of May 2 local time, targeted a compound in Abbottabad, a city located some 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. The nighttime raid resulted in a brief firefight that left bin Laden and several others dead. A U.S. helicopter reportedly was damaged in the raid and later destroyed by U.S. forces. Obama reported that no U.S. personnel were lost in the operation. After a brief search of the compound, the U.S. forces left with bin Laden’s body and presumably anything else that appeared to have intelligence value. From Obama’s carefully scripted speech, it would appear that the United States conducted the operation unilaterally with no Pakistani assistance — or even knowledge.

This image shows Osama bin Laden's refuge home with no apparent structural damage, the remains of an unidentified helicopter within the compound perimeter and four evenly spaced road blocks on the road leading to the property.

As evidenced by the spontaneous celebrations that erupted in Washington, New York and across the United States, the killing of bin Laden has struck a chord with many Americans. This was true not only of those who lost family members as a result of the attack, but of those who were vicariously terrorized and still vividly recall the deep sense of fear they felt the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, as they watched aircraft strike the World Trade Center Towers and saw those towers collapse on live television, and then heard reports of the Pentagon being struck by a third aircraft and of a fourth aircraft prevented from being used in another attack when it crashed in rural Pennsylvania. As that fear turned to anger, a deep-seated thirst for vengeance led the United States to invade Afghanistan in October 2001 and to declare a “global war on terrorism.”

Because of this sense of fulfilled vengeance, the death of bin Laden will certainly be one of those events that people will remember, like the 9/11 attacks themselves. In spite of the sense of justice and closure the killing of bin Laden brings, however, his death will likely have very little practical impact on the jihadist movement. More important will be the reaction of the Pakistani government to the operation and the impact it has on U.S.-Pakistani relations.

Aerial View of Abbottabad Compound

Mga pangunahing alituntunin para sa ligtas na paghawak ng baril (Gun Safety)

2011-04-14T03:43:00.000-07:00

Tip 1. Laging panatilihing ang baril ay nakatutok sa isang ligtas ne direksyon. Ito ang pangunahing patakaran ng baril sa kaligtasan. Siguraduhing nakatutok ang dulo ng baril sa isang ligtas na direksyon. direksyon na walang tatamaang bagay o tao sakaling ito ay pumutok.

Tip 2. Laging panatilihing ang iyong mga daliri ay malayo sa gatilyo hanggang handa nang bumaril. Kapag hawak ang baril, i tabi ang iyung mga daliri sa trigger guard o malapit sa gilid ng baril, hanggang ikaw ay handa ng pumutok huwag ilagay ang daliri sa trigger.

Tip 3. Laging panatilihing ang baril ay diskargado hanggang handa na itong gamitin. Kung ang baril ay may magazine, alisin ito bago ang pag bubukas ng aksyon at mag hanap ng silid isang ligtas na lugar o sa pag aalis ng bala. Kung hindi mo alam kung paano buksan ang aksyon o pag aalis ng bala, isukbit ang baril at kumuha ng tulong mula sa isang taong nakakaalam.

Tip 4. Alamin ang iyong target at kung ano ang nasa dako. Siguraduhing walang kahit na anong bagay o buhay ang makikita lagpas sa iyong target. Magkaroon ng kamalayan sa mga lugar na lagpas sa iyong target. Huwag puputok sa isang direksyon kung saan may mga tao o anumang iba pang mga potential na bagay na maaring tamaan.

Tip 5. Alamin kung paano gamitin ang baril sa isang ligtas na pamamaraan. Bago humawak ng baril, mabuting malaman kung paano ito gamitin. Alamin ang ibat-ibang bahagi ng baril paanong buksan at isarado ang aksyon nito at paano alisin ang magazine at bala nito sa baril. Tandaan, ang kaligtasan sa pag hawak ng baril ay nakasalalay sa kaalaman ng taong may hawak nito.

Tip 6. Siguraduhing ligtas na gamitin ang isang baril. Tulad din ng iba pang mga kasangkapan, ang baril ay kailangan din ng regular na pag-aalaga upang mapanatili ang kaligtasan nito. Madalas na paglilinis at tamang imbakan ay bahagi ng pangkalahatanng pag-aalaga ng baril. Kung may anumang katanungan tungkul sa kakayanan ng isang baril, huwag mag atubiling kumunsulta sa isang eksperto.

Tip 7. Gumamit ng tamang bala para sa iyong baril. Karamihan sa mga baril ay may bala na ang uri ay naka tatak sa barrel. Ang paggamit ng maling bala ay maaring maging sanhi ng pagkasira ng baril at pagkasugat o pagkamatay ng gagamit.

Tip 8. Magsuot ng proteksyon sa mata at tainga kung kinakailangan. Matatandaang ang baril ay may malakas na tunog na maaring maging sanhi ng pagkasira ng pandining. Ito rin ay nagbubunga ng mainit na gas na maaaring makapinsala sa ating mga mata. Sa tuwing puputok, dapat ay magsuot ng proteksyon sa mata at tainga.

Tip 9. Huwag uminom o gumamit ng alak o anumang gamot na nabibili sa botika bago o habang ikaw ay puputok ng baril. Ang alcohol o anumang nakalalasing na inumin ay nagiging sanhi ng mabagal na paggana ng ating pagiisip at pisikal na pangangatawan kung kayat mas makabubuting umiwas dito kung ikaw ay hahawak o gagamit ng baril.

Tip 10. Paglilinis. Ang madalas na paglilinis ng ating baril ay mahalaga upang ang iyung armas ay maayos na gumana. Sa pagaalaga ng tama sa ating baril mapapanatili natin nang maayos na paggana nito at pinapahaba pa nito ang buhay. Kung kayat kinakailangan linisin ang ating baril sa bawat panahon na ito ay ginagamit. Ang baril na matagal ng nakaimbak ay dapat ding linisin. Ang naipung dumi, grasa at langis ay maaring magdulot ng pagkasira ng ating baril sanhi ng hindi maayos na paggana nito

Moro National Liberation Front / Dissent Among Philippines Separatists (Video)

2011-04-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

OVERVIEW

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) is an organization that originally sought the secession of Muslim Mindanao from the Philippines and the creation of an independent Islamic state. It subsequently opted for regional autonomy. It was created during a period of heightened civil unrest among Muslims in the Philippines in the late 1960s.

For centuries, tension had been brewing between Christians and Muslims in the Philippines, particularly in the southern islands of Mindanao. The conflict escalated when a group of Muslim youth was brought by the Philippine Army to Corregidor Island in 1968 for training on guerrilla tactics in preparation for an invasion on the Malaysian island of Sabah. The young recruits were supposed to join a commando group, known as “Jabidah,” that would carry out the planned invasion. When the trainees began protesting against the unbearable training conditions and demanding their return to Mindanao, they were summarily executed by their Army officers on March 18, 1968. The incident, which came to be known as the Jabidah Massacre, led to the formation of Muslim groups clamoring for a separate Islamic state.

In 1968, Cotabato Governor Datu Udtog Matalam founded the Muslim Independent Movement (MIM), an above-ground organization that advocated the creation of an ideal Islamic state. When Matalam stepped aside, more radical elements of the Muslim cause began to organize. From 1968 to 1969, at the height of the Philippine-Malaysian dispute over Sabah and the turmoil created by the Jabidah Massacre, some members of the MIM underwent guerilla training in Sabah. These men eventually formed the nucleus of the MNLF. A total of three batches of MNLF guerillas went to Sabah from 1969 to 1974. The first batch comprised 90 recruits; the second batch, 300; and the last batch, 87. The training included guerilla warfare and tactics and mortar warfare and all the trainers were British-trained.

Shortly after the imposition of martial law in the Philippines on September 23, 1972, Abul Khayr Alonto and Jallaludin Santos formed the MNLF, espousing an armed revolutionary approach to the struggle of Filipino Muslims in Mindanao. Nurallaji “Nur” Misuari, a professor at the University of Philippines who was active in a well-known Marxist movement called Kabataang Makabayan (KM), was asked to head the organization. KM was responsible for the creation of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The CPP and its military wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), are responsible for the second, more secular struggle against the Philippine government. Most of the secular ideology of the MNLF was inherited from Misuari. The left-leaning ideology of the MNLF relates to the organization’s adherence to Moro nationalism, not Islamic fundamentalism. The MNLF is regarded as a national liberation movement comprised of mostly secular Muslims in the Philippines. In 1976, the group finally reached a peace agreement with the Manila-based government. Unfortunately, this was quickly broken by violent militant attacks on security forces, and throughout the next two decades, conflict remained steady between government and militant fighters. Finally in 1996, another agreement was reached which established the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a predominately Muslim region in which the people, led by Nur Misuari, could live by their own rule of law. Those individuals who did not agree with this truce fell to support other terrorist groups in the region, chiefly Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Misuari’s rule ended when he was imprisoned in late 2001 after unsuccessfully leading a coup to remove the current Filipino government from power which resulted in over 100 deaths. His predecessor, Parouk Hussin, was also an MNLF member.

Within the last decade, support for the main MNLF organization has waned. Splinter groups became common, and Misuari continues to hold a dedicated band of followers. Some MNLF members and affiliates continue to launch attacks against security forces and government officials. One such attack in August 2007 led to the deaths of 60 troops and militants. Since 2007, other attacks have taken place between troops and suspected rebels, although the MNLF denies their members have been involved.

STRUCTURE

The MNLF is organized into three factions: Misuari, Alvarez Isnaji, and Islamic Command Council. There is also a 15-member Executive Committee which is run by Muslimin Semma, the mayor of Cotabato City. A branch of the MNLF, the Bangsamoro Army (BMA), is the armed wing of the organization. Another branch, the Misuari Renegade Group (MRG) also engages in armed conflict for the group, and is known to be closely affiliated with Abu Sayyaf.

The MNLF is reported to have limited access to arms during their ceasefire agreement with the Filipino government, although during the height of their activity they utilized AK-47s, M-16 Armalites, grenade launchers, mortar launchers, landmines, and improvised explosive devices.

FUNDING

Much of the organization’s funding comes from foreign sources; this includes donations from supporters from Malaysia, Libya, and Iran. Other forms of support derive from local sources, exortion activities, and ransom from hostage takings.

TACTICS

The majority of group activity involves attacks on Armed Forces of the Philippines members. These clashes usually involve light arms, although MNLF militants also use grenade and mortar launchers against government outposts and installations. MNLF members rarely target civilians in these attacks, although they are well known for engaging in kidnap-for-ransom activities. In 2009, two U.S. soldiers and one AFP soldier were killed by an improvised explosive device which was supposedly planted by MNLF and Bangsamoro National Liberation Army (BNLA) members.

Bombs Recovered From NPAs Can Blow Bridges, Buildings And Roads

2011-04-03T03:25:00.000-07:00

On 31 March 2011, army soldiers discovered a cave believed to be a New People’s Army’s (NPA) factory of explosive devices at Sitio Kalinawan, Barangay Taocanga, Man-ay, Davao Oriental.

Troops under Lt. Col. Reuben Basiao, commander of the 67th Infantry Battalion, found the rebels “bomb factory” full of items needed for the manufacture of explosives. The cave is under the NPA’s Merardo Arce Command wherein they harbor materials needed to construct improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other explosives.

The impact of the bomb can blow a 5-6 storey building or even a mall, it can blow major bridges, and it can make more than 30 anti-personnel landmines or may easily blow buses or trucks used by civilians. These bombings can inflict heavy casualties to school children and ordinary civilians plying their main access routes where the NPAs lay their bombs.

The inventory of items found in the said NPA bomb factory are: two anti-armor IEDs, four anti-personnel IEDs, 3/4 kg. white powder, seven unfinished anti-pers IEDs, six unfinished anti-armor IEDs, 500 meters of detonation cord, 14 blasting caps, 700 pieces of liquid explosives, one set Stanley wrench, one electric drill, 20 pieces of claymore adhesive iron, two pieces of soldering gun, 10 pieces fuse, nine resistor sets, 10 pieces of ballast, 50 pieces of alligator clips, 29 switches, 11 pieces of dead man’s switch, five hammers, three mallets, one metal saw, four files, two tri-squares, one piece mold for anti-personnel IEDs, 18-kg. metal shrapnel, two sets of claymore molds, one tinsmith, one blow torch, one clamp, four rolls of wire, 300 grams of sulfur, nine plastic pipes, three liters of oil, six bottles of polyvinyl chloride solution, one piece port bypass circuit, one roll plastic hose, one weighing scale, and 22 bottles of acetone.

PREVENTING KIDNAPPING

2011-03-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

KNOW THE RULES...

ABDUCTION and KIDNAPPING

Prevention Tips for Parents and Guardian

Teach your children to run away from danger, never toward it. Danger is anyone or anything invading their personal space. If anyone should try to grab them, tell them to make a scene; loudly yell this person is not my father/mother/guardian; and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting. Their safety is more important than being polite. Teach your children if they are ever followed in a vehicle to turn around and run in the other direction to you or another trusted adult.
Never let your children go places alone, and always supervise your young children or make sure there is another trusted adult present to supervise them if you cannot. Make sure your older children always take a friend when they go anywhere.
Know where your children are and whom they are with at all times. Remind children to never take anything or respond in any way if approached by anyone they don’t know, and also remind them to never approach a vehicle without your permission. Teach them to run away as quickly as possible to you or another trusted adult.
Talk openly to your children about safety and encourage them to tell you or a trusted adult if anyone or anything makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. Discuss safety issues with your children so they will understand the need for precautions. Advise your older children about steps they may take to help safeguard themselves. Know your children’s friends and their families. Pay attention to your children and listen to them. If you don’t, someone else may. And others may have ulterior motives for befriending your children.
Practice what you teach by creating “what if” scenarios with your children to make sure they understand the safety message and are able to use it in a real situation.
Consider installing an alarm system in your home with a monitoring feature. If you do not have an alarm system, consider purchasing less expensive wireless door and window alarms. Make sure your home is secured with deadbolt locks, and ensure landscaping around it doesn’t provide places for people to hide. Check other access points such as gates, and make sure they have been secured. Consider installing exterior lighting around your home. Make sure your home is fully secured before you go to sleep and items such as ladders have been stored inside. Prepare a plan to vacate your home in case of any emergency. This should include but is not limited to a fire. Have a plan if an intruder tries or gets into your home.
Make your children part of securing your home. If you have installed an alarm system, demonstrate it to your children and show them how to make sure doors and windows are locked. This will not only help calm their fears but will also help make them part of your “safety plan” at home.
Have a list of family members who could be contacted in case of an emergency. Designate a family member or close associate who would be able to fill the role of advisor in case of an emergency.
Be alert to and aware of your surroundings. Know the “escape routes” and plan what you would do in different emergencies. Practice “what if” scenarios, so you will be well prepared. Know the location of local hospitals and best routes to take to reach them. Know how to reach the nearest local law enforcement agency or sub-station.
Know your employees and coworkers. Do background screening and reference checks on everyone who works at your home, particularly those individuals who care for your children. Their knowledge of your family is extensive so make sure you have an equivalent understanding of them.
Consider varying your daily routines and habits. Do not take the same routes or go at the same time on your regular errands. If you take your children to school, change that route as well.
Take steps to secure personal information about yourself. Consider getting a post office box and registering everything you may there including your vehicles and drivers’ licenses. Have personal bills sent to your place of work or the post office box. Be discreet about your possessions and family’s personal habits and information. Take steps to protect your identity by not revealing too much information and notifying authorities of any irregularities.
Report any suspicious persons or activities to law enforcement. If you feel anyone in your family has been targeted or is being stalked, immediately report this information to law-enforcement authorities. Do not wait.
Remember you are your best resource for better safeguarding your family. Stay alert, informed, and vigilant about personal-security issues.