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Military clueless on JI whereabouts in RP


MANILA, Philippines - The military on Monday admitted that it is clueless on the whereabouts of foreign operatives of the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group who had managed to slip into the country. “Yes, may namo-monitor tayo na pumapasok na member ng JI. Ang nangyayari, sila ang nagiging trainers nila, sila nagte-train kung paano gumawa ng bomba at ibang taktika. Pero sa ngayon, namo-monitor natin ang pagpasok ng JI dahil meron tayong intelligence report," Armed Forces public information chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said in an interview on dzXL radio. [We have monitored the entry of JI members in the country. They are training local terrorists to make bombs and other tactics. We learned of it through intelligence reports.] Brawner’s admission came a week after several people were killed in the bombing of two hotels in Jakarta, and a week before President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivers her last State of the Nation Address. National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales had also linked the JI to a series of bombings in several key areas in Mindanao earlier this month. At least seven were killed in those bombings. The JI is believed to have ties with the Abu Sayyaf bandit group operating in Sulu and Basilan provinces. “Mahirap talaga abangan dahil ang coastline napakalaki. Puwede sila pumasok anywhere sa ating coastline. But the important thing is namo-monitor natin kung may pumasok. But as to the exact location medyo nahihirapan tayo doon," Brawner said. [It is very difficult to prevent their entry because we have very long coastline. But the important thing is that we are able to monitor their entry, although it is hard to determine their exact location.] He said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has gone on heightened alert, particularly in Metro Manila and other major cities, for any possible terrorist activities arising from the JI's presence in the country. - GMANews.TV
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