RP police wary of RI militants

RP police wary of RI militants

PHILIPPINES: Three Indonesian operatives from the regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) are suspected of plotting with the Abu Sayyaf militant group to launch bomb attacks during the Easter holiday, officials said on Monday.

Soldiers and police are boosting patrols of shopping malls, churches and other crowded places this week to thwart reported bombing plots threatened by the Abu Sayyaf as revenge for the deaths of 23 inmates killed by police in a botched jailbreak last week. Among them were three prominent guerrilla commanders.

"I would not say this is very serious, but this is a real threat," military chief Gen. Efren Abu told reporters.

National Police Chief Arturo Lomibao said four or five Abu Sayyaf members and three suspected Jamaah Islamiyah members were in Manila to carry out bombings.

Lomibao identified the three Jamaah Islamiyah militants, as Indonesians Dulmatin, Umar Patek and Umar Wayan. All three are suspected of involvement in the 2002 bombings on Indonesia's Bali island that killed 202 people. --AP