A rchive Date
[ 17-02-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Philippines ]
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[http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?category=Canada&story=/news/2002/02/16/philippines_020216
Terrorist, kidnapping suspect arrested in Philippines
Last Updated Sat Feb 16 19:11:32 2002
MANILA - A man U.S. officials accuse of being the leader of a terrorist group has been arrested in the Philippines, officials said Saturday.
Faizal Marohombsar and 10 other suspects were rounded up in Manila, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced. Their organization, The Pentagon Gang, is accused of abducting wealthy Filipinos as well as a number of foreigners, including a Canadian. Pierre Belanger of Ottawa was held hostage for almost two months before being rescued during a shoot-out in December. An Italian priest and several Chinese engineers were also kidnapped. Morohombsar is the former commander of the separatist Moro National Liberation Front.
More U.S. soldiers arrive
In the southern Philippines, meanwhile, security tightened Saturday as more U.S. troops arrived to join a growing American force in the White House's campaign against terrorism.
They are helping train Philippine troops to fight the Abu Sayyaf– a Muslim rebel group U.S. officials say has links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network. Abu Sayyaf members say they are fighting for an Islamic state in a predominantly Muslim section of the southern Philippines.
Two C-130 U.S. transport planes carrying several dozen elite soldiers flew from Okinawa, Japan to a darkened runway in Zamboanga city early Saturday, keeping its lights off as the special forces slipped away into the night.
There are now about 300 Americans in the region, and the figure is expected to double within the next few weeks. They're assigned to a six-month mission on Basilan, an island about 35 kilometres south of Zamboanga where guerrillas have been holding two American missionaries captive since late last year.
Abu Sayyaf fighters have been evading capture in the jungle for years. Filipino commanders are hoping U.S. expertise, as well as night-vision equipment and other high-tech tracking devices, will help them find suspects.
As the Americans arrived, grenade blasts were reported near a crowded market on Jolo, an island southwest of Basilan, and inside a movie theatre in Zamboanga. At least five people were killed in the explosion on Jolo.
Philippine investigators blamed the attacks on the Abu Sayyaf, but said the joint exercise with the Americans would not be affected.
Written by CBC News Online staff
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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