Al-Ghozi slips Philippines military dragnet, Arroyo warns MILF
Al-Ghozi slips Philippines military dragnet, Arroyo warns MILF
Agence France-Presse, Zamboanga, Philippines
Fugitive Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi
has slipped a security dragnet in the southern Philippines, the
region's senior military official said on Monday.
President Gloria Arroyo warned Filipino Muslim guerrillas on
Mindanao island to "stand aside" and deny sanctuary to the
Indonesian Al-Ghozi, who bolted from a Manila police prison along
with two Abu Sayyaf guerrillas nearly a month ago.
"The recapture of Al-Ghozi is vital to the cause of fighting
transnational terrorism," Arroyo said in a statement.
Government troops saturated the Lanao region of Mindanao last
week, leading to deadly clashes with suspected units of the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the south's main Muslim
separatist guerrilla group.
The search was motivated by region-wide fears of more
terrorist bombings following a deadly hotel blast in Jakarta last
week that has been blamed on JI militants.
"The troops have already occupied that area" where Al-Ghozi
was thought to have taken refuge, southern Philippines military
chief Lt. Gen. Roy Kyamko told reporters in this southern city.
But he conceded on Monday that the Indonesian fugitive "is no
longer in the area. He possibly slipped out before soldiers got
into the area."
The manhunt is redeploying in another area, he said without
elaborating.
The general dismissed news reports that Al-Ghozi has been
recaptured or killed while evading capture.
One of two Abu Sayyaf Filipino Muslim rebels who joined Al-
Ghozi's prison escape, Abdulmukim Edris, was recaptured last week
but was shot dead when he allegedly tried to wrest the gun of one
of his military captors.
Three unidentified gunmen believed to be protecting Al-Ghozi
were killed in a clash with the security forces in the Lanao
region on Sunday. Six soldiers were also wounded.
"We issue a strong warning to any armed groups in the area
that are aiding or coddling Al-Ghozi that they will definitely
suffer the direst consequences," Arroyo said on Monday.
"We look forward to the cooperation of the MILF in the manhunt
under its commitments to the peace process."
President Arroyo said the operations are "highly focused" and
the government has "no desire to widen the arena of engagement
beyond what is necessary.
"Forces within the purview of the peace talks must stand aside
and allow legitimate law enforcement and pursuit operations to
proceed unhampered."
The president said "the peace talks with the MILF will
continue" despite the manhunt. The two sides are expected to
begin talks in Malaysia shortly to discuss a political settlement
to the decades-old separatist rebellion.
Al-Ghozi had been serving a 17-year prison term for illegally
procuring more than a ton of explosives, some of which were used
for a deadly Manila rail coach bombing in December 2000. His
escape embarrassed Arroyo, who has been a staunch supporter of
the U.S.-led global campaign against terrorism.