http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAN332799.htm
Philippine rebels organise team to chase militants 04 May 2005 12:03:59 GMT Source: Reuters MANILA, May 4 (Reuters) - The largest Muslim guerrilla group in the Philippines said on Wednesday it will organise a team to help the government hunt down kidnap gangs and militants hiding in rebel areas in the southern island of Mindanao. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said the offer to help track down members of criminal and militant groups was part of confidence-building moves ahead of peace talks due to resume next month in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Since March 2001, Malaysia has been hosting negotiations to end more than three decades of Muslim rebellion that has killed at least 120,000 people and stunted development in the south and dented investor confidence in the Philippines. "The rebels informed us today of their intention to effect 'citizen's arrest' of lawless elements hiding in Muslim areas in the south," said an army official, who declined to be named. Representatives from the government and the MILF's ceasefire panels are holding three-days of meetings from Wednesday on western Palawan island. Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the MILF, said a 20-member team will soon join the government's law enforcement operations in Muslim communities, tracking down kidnap gangs and militant groups. "The government gave us a long list of people wanted by the law that could be hiding in our areas," Kabalu said by phone. "We would be after them, including leaders of the Abu Sayyaf group involved in kidnapping activities." He said the MILF had long been helping thegovernment in fighting criminality in Mindanao. The government and MILF signed in May 2002 an agreement that commits the rebels to "isolate and interdict" members of criminal and militant groups hiding in Muslim communities. Western and Philippine intelligence authorities said several suspected members of regional militant network Jemaah Islamiah (JI), mostly Indonesians, have personal ties with some MILF field commanders seeking refuge in rebel jungle hideouts. Kabalu said the MILF offer would prove their sincerity and commitment to the peace process. Brigadier-General Ben Dolorfino, head of the government's ad hoc joint action group, said he opposed giving the rebels authority to make arrests, suggesting the MILF could help more by providing information on militant hideouts. "The government should have the sole power to make arrests," he told Reuters. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/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/
