RP beef up security around U.S. facilities<\/p>\n
MANILA (AP): Police stepped up security around the U.S.
\nEmbassy and other American facilities in the Philippines on
\nThursday to prevent retaliatory terrorist attacks after
\nWashington ordered missile strikes on Iraq.<\/p>\n
\"All U.S. installations have been adequately secured even
\nbefore the attack but still, we will beef up security,\" said
\nnational police chief Roberto Lastimoso.<\/p>\n
President Joseph Estrada, who is on a state visit to Vietnam,
\nwas quoted by the presidential palace as saying that the use of
\nforce against Iraq was \"very unfortunate\" and expressed hope that
\nthe crisis can be settled \"immediately to save the lives of
\npeople.\"<\/p>\n
Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon, who is traveling
\nwith Estrada, said, \"We regret the use of force in Iraq.\"<\/p>\n
\"We have always believed that disputes should be settled
\nthrough peaceful means and through negotiations,\" he said. \"At
\nthe same time we believe that all UN resolutions should be
\ncomplied with.\"<\/p>\n
Lastimoso said the action by the police was taken without a
\nrequest for additional security from U.S. embassy authorities.
\nHe said local terrorists with links to Iraq are likely to attack
\nU.S. facilities after President Bill Clinton ordered air strikes
\non targets suspected of concealing key elements of Iraq's
\nbiological and chemical weapons program.<\/p>\n
Lastimoso said local terrorists have attacked U.S. targets in
\nthe country since the height of the Gulf War in 1991. During that
\ntime, two Iraqi agents in Manila tried to bomb the Thomas
\nJefferson Cultural Center in suburban Makati City, but the bomb
\nthey carried exploded prematurely, killing one of them.<\/p>\n
Security around the embassy has been raised since August,
\nfollowing the bombings of U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya by
\nsuspected followers of Saudi exile Osama bin Laden.<\/p>\n
Aside from its embassy, the United States also maintains a
\nlarge residential seaside compound in Manila and a consulate in
\ncentral Cebu City.<\/p>\n
Additional security will also be posted at the embassies of
\nBritain and Israel, Lastimoso said.<\/p>\n
He did not say if there was reason to believe the facilities
\nwere in immediate danger.<\/p>\n
He said the local extremist group, Abu Sayyaf, is believed to
\nbe involved in bin Laden's network.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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