http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN2005032531344.html
Filipinos observe Lent despite terror threats MANILA (DPA) - Filipinos yesterday flocked to Catholic churches and rushed to the provinces despite warnings that Muslim militants were planning "multiple" terror attacks in the Philippines during the Easter holidays. Armed policemen and soldiers were deployed in bus terminals, seaports, and airports in Manila to help check bags of thousands of passengers traveling to the provinces for the holiday break. Churches throughout the predominantly Catholic Philippines were also tightly guarded, as devotees visited several cathedrals and chapels in a traditional Holy Thursday ritual commemorating the Way of the Cross. "We appeal to the public to remain vigilant," said Director General Avelino Razon Jr., chief of Manila's police force. Police had earlier warned that the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebel group was plotting to launch bomb attacks during Lent to retaliate for the deaths of 24 members, including three senior leaders, in a prison uprising last week. On Wednesday, security forces seized a cache of explosives that was allegedly to be used in plots to bomb shopping malls, Catholic churches, and other crowded public places during the Holy Week. The 10 sacks of explosive chemicals and 18 canisters of improvised explosive devices were found during a raid on a residential apartment in Manila conducted after a suspected Muslim militant was arrested Tuesday. Officials said security forces were hunting down several Abu Sayyaf rebels and militants of the regional Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) group who are allegedly involved in the planned attacks. The United States and Britain have already warned their citizens against traveling to the Philippines amid the threats. "Terrorist groups, including JI and the Abu Sayyaf, and radical elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), are planning multiple attacks throughout the Philippines," the US State Department said in its advisory. Britain warned that the militants were in the "final stages of planning an attack that could occur anytime." The MILF, the largest Muslim rebel group fighting for a separate Islamic state in the southern region of Mindanao, denied being involved in alleged terror plots during the Easter holidays. "We categorically deny that our members are involved in the plots," said MILF spokesman Eid Cabalu. "The MILF central committee has denounced terrorism, and our members are aware of that." Cabalu said the MILF was instead focusing on preparations for the resumption of stalled peace talks with the Philippine government next month in Kuala Lumpur. The negotiations between the two sides were suspended in May, 2003, due to allegations that the MILF was involved in a series of bomb attacks in southern Philippines. The military has also accused the rebel group of coddling local and foreign terrorists. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
