Philippines forms special task force to curb terrorism<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): The Philippine military has formed a special
\nanti-terrorist task force following growing concern over local
\nand foreign terrorist groups in the country, military spokesmen
\nsaid yesterday.<\/p>\n
The announcement followed a call by President Fidel Ramos,
\nspeaking on Armed Forces day, for security forces to crush
\nterrorism and at the same time achieve full reconciliation with
\nMoslem and communist insurgents.<\/p>\n
The task force, to be made up of intelligence unit members,
\nwill focus mainly on foreign terrorists but would also be
\ninvolved in the fight against local groups such as communist
\nassassins, spokesmen said.<\/p>\n
Police this week detained nine Pakistanis on suspicion of
\ninvolvement with foreign terrorist groups planning attacks in
\nManila.<\/p>\n
Immigration Commissioner Leandro Verceles has urged Philippine
\nembassies to be more careful in issuing visas to foreigners, to
\nensure that terrorists do not slip in.<\/p>\n
\"We must unite to confront ... the threats affecting the
\nnation's security especially the new terrorism that has spawned
\nsenseless violence in some of our communities,\" Ramos said in a
\nspeech for the 60th anniversary of the Philippine armed forces.<\/p>\n
Fears over foreign terrorists heightened in January after
\npolice raided a Manila apartment that was being used as a hideout
\nby foreign Moro fundamentalists.<\/p>\n
Fundamentalists, including Ramzi Yussef, alleged mastermind of
\nthe 1993 World Trade Center bombing, were suspected of planning
\nto kill Pope John Paul II during his Philippines visit in
\nJanuary. They were also thought to be planning attacks on U.S.
\nairlines and foreign embassies.<\/p>\n
Foreign terrorists are also charged with the mid-air bombing
\nof a Philippine Airlines plane in December that killed one
\nJapanese. The bombing is believed to have been a dry-run for
\nattacks on U.S. airlines.<\/p>\n
Ramos, a former chief of the Philippine constabulary and a
\ncareer soldier, has faced mounting pressure over a wave of
\nviolent crimes.<\/p>\n
A prominent ethnic Chinese businessman, Leonardo Ty, his
\ndriver, a Singaporean boy and a police bodyguard were killed last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
The killings were blamed on the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB),
\nthe urban assassination team of the communist New People's Army.<\/p>\n
The Philippine Inquirer reported yesterday that one of the
\ngunmen in Ty's killing had been detained by police. Police
\nspokesmen could not be contacted to comment.<\/p>\n
\"We must turn back the tide of criminality and must upgrade
\nour capability to repel challenges to our national security from
\nwithin and without,\" Ramos said.<\/p>\n
He noted that \"one crucial task\" of government and military
\nwas the \"completion of the peace process\" begun in 1992 with the
\ncommunist insurgents and Moslem secessionists in the south.<\/p>\n
He admitted that peace with the communists was \"still some
\ndistance away\" but noted they were \"no longer a major threat to
\nour internal security.\"<\/p>\n
The government reached a settlement with rightist coup
\nplotters in October and is continuing dialogue with the main
\nMoslem insurgents, the Moro National Liberation Front.<\/p>\n
While he did not refer to claims to the Spratly islands in the
\nSouth China Sea, Ramos said that modernization of the poorly-
\nequipped Philippine military would proceed.<\/p>\n
A US$5.4 billion armed forces modernization program was
\nordered in February, following tensions between Manila and
\nBeijing over China's occupation of Philippine-claimed islands in
\nthe Spratlys.<\/p>\n
Ramos expressed hoped that by 1998 the military \"can meet any
\nthreat to national security.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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