Extremists feared to discrupt Pope's Manila visit<\/p>\n
MANILA (Agencies): Fundamentalist groups pose a potential
\nthreat to Pope John Paul II when he visits the Philippines next
\nweek and security will be tight to eliminate any assassination
\nattempts, Cardinal Jaime Sin said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Sin, the Manila archbishop, said in a television interview
\nhere that there were people, \"mainly who are fundamentalist,\" who
\nwere now being kept under close surveillance by police ahead of
\nthe Jan. 12-16 pastoral and state visit. He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
\"Even in Rome there are security threats because there are
\nevil people who would like to destroy goodness. But always,
\ngoodness will prevail,\" the cardinal said.<\/p>\n
\"It is good that we know it beforehand,\" he said. \"The
\nsecurity people know about this so there will be tight security
\nto protect the life of the father.\"<\/p>\n
Although Sin did not specify any group, the Abu Sayyaf, an
\narmed Moslem fundamentalist group in the southern Philippines,
\nhas launched several attacks against Christian targets in recent
\nyears including the bombing of shrines and the kidnapping of
\npriests and nuns.<\/p>\n
However, no explicit threat has been made against John Paul II
\nhere so far.<\/p>\n
Manila yesterday has also ordered its embassies to be on guard
\nagainst issuing visas to 109 people who may pose a security
\nthreat during Pope John Paul's visit this month.<\/p>\n
The names, which have not been made public, were supplied to
\nManila by the Vatican, according to local newspapers. Embassies
\nin the Middle East have been told to be particularly watchful.<\/p>\n
The Polish pontiff was wounded in an assassination attempt in
\nRome in 1981, shortly after he made his first visit to the
\nPhilippines, the only predominantly Roman Catholic nation in
\nAsia, in his capacity as head of the world's 700 million
\nCatholics.<\/p>\n
After Manila he is scheduled to visit Papua New Guinea,
\nAustralia and Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
While in Manila he will be using a three million-peso
\n(US$125,000), locally-assembled, bullet-proof bubble-top jeep
\nsimilar to the \"popemobile\" he rides in during public appearances
\nin Europe and elsewhere.<\/p>\n
The pope is scheduled to address the 10th World Youth Day here
\non Jan. 15, when 300,000 young people from around the world are
\nexpected to assemble in a Manila park.<\/p>\n
He will also lead the celebrations for the 400th year of the
\nPhilippine capital's elevation into an archdiocese, and attend a
\nmeeting of Asian bishops.<\/p>\n
Asked about concerns about the pope's failing health, Cardinal
\nSin said, \"What gives the pope energy is the thought about the
\nPhilippines,\" and that \"thinking about this country alone is
\nenough to make him stronger.\"<\/p>\n
He said the pope will be fit enough for the Philippine leg,
\n\"but I don't know after the Philippines, because he will not
\nreceive the same welcome in Papua New Guinea, and maybe in Sydney
\nand Sri Lanka.\"<\/p>\n
The Philippines is home to about half of Asia's 100 million
\nCatholics.<\/p>\n
He said John Paul II was \"physically affected\" by an accident
\nin which he broke one leg bone, \"but the mind works. The feet do
\nnot think, it is the mind that does.\"<\/p>",
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