Terrorist warnings

Terrorist warnings

All too predictably, following the suicide bombings that
killed 22 people in the Indonesian tourist resort island of Bali
Saturday, warnings are now being raised about terrorist attacks
in the Philippines.

A recent police intelligence report is even more specific
about the threats. It says that the Abu Sayyaf is sending women
on bombing missions to Metro Manila and four cities in Mindanao.

Instead of merely issuing warnings, our security officials
ought to focus on doing the many things that would attack the
problem of terrorism at its roots.

For instance, they should sit down with their counterparts
from Indonesia and Malaysia to find out how they can stop the
exchange of terrorism know-how, resources and personnel.

Congress should also pass an anti-terrorism law, minus those
highly repressive and ambiguous provisions that could be invoked
to persecute the political adversaries of the administration.

But first, they should learn to use intelligence information
intelligently and not to mistake talk for action.
-- Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila