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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=16913446 The Times of India US, Philippines to start anti-terror action in October AFP [ WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2002 3:14:44 AM ] -More than 1,000 US troops are to end a six-month counter-terrorism operation next week in the southern Philippines where they have been helping local forces hunt the Abu Sayyaf, a kidnapping group which has been linked to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden. "We are talking about expanding the already robust cooperation of the armed forces of the Philippines and the US armed forces," Reyes said. MANILA: US military advisers will spend nine months in the Philippines in the next round of joint counter-terrorism operations starting in October, the Filipino military said Tuesday. The mission will involve thousands of Filipino troops and a still undertermined number of US military advisers to be deployed in camps north of Manila as well as in the south, military chief General Roy Cimatu said. US Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to discuss the upcoming deployments during a visit here on August 3, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said. Powell is expected in Manila at the end of an eight-day Asian swing, in which he is also scheduled to attend a foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Brunei. "Of course, matters of mutual interest would be discussed to include the status and the way ahead for continuing the robust relationship between the US government and the Philippine government and its respective militaries," said Reyes. More than 1,000 US troops are to end a six-month counter-terrorism operation next week in the southern Philippines where they have been helping local forces hunt the Abu Sayyaf, a kidnapping group which has been linked to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden. "We are talking about expanding the already robust cooperation of the armed forces of the Philippines and the US armed forces," Reyes said. The nine-month program includes night navigation, training of at least two companies of "light reaction teams" or counter-terrorism units and eight army battalions, intelligence cooperation as well as classroom activities on strategy, Cimatu said. "Six months is not enough because of the large number of troops and units involved," Cimatu said. The next round of activities were agreed upon by Cimatu and US Pacific forces commander Admiral Thomas Fargo following a meeting in Hawaii last month. However, it still needs to be approved at a higher level by both governments. The Abu Sayyaf ranks have dwindled after the joint operations, although military officials said they were still capable of launching isolated attacks on civilians and government targets. On Monday, Abu Sayyaf gunmen killed one government militiaman and wounded another in a clash near the town of Lantawan on Basilan island, the focus of the joint military exercises that began in January. The militiamen were on routine patrol when they ran into the bandits who were disguised as Army Scout Rangers, military reports said. Reyes meanwhile said an agreement between Manila and Washington that would give legal cover for mutual logistics support in military exercises is also being worked out, and would hopefully be passed in time for the October manuevers. The proposed Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) however would not lead to the permanent stationing of US troops and facilities in the Philippines, contrary to fears by nationalist and leftwing groups, Reyes said. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
