Military chief says PHL ready vs terror threats

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Oban said his men are not letting their guard down anytime soon against possible attacks from al Qaeda sympathizers one week after US special forces shot dead terror leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Oban said in an ambush interview that the AFP expects sympathy attacks might still be carried out by terrorist groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf which is linked to bin Laden’s group. “It’s prudent to consider all possibilities, that’s why we are prepared," he said, adding that, “since the death of bin Laden, we have heightened our alert even on the first day." Oban said the military is monitoring other possible terrorists who may be in Metro Manila following the arrest of Abu Sayyaf member Imam Arabani Jakiran at the Global City in Taguig City on Thursday where he had been employed as a security guard. Jakiran is linked to at least two high-profile kidnapping incidents in Basilan. “Our tracking of them is continuous. Wherever they are, our intelligence operations are ongoing," said Oban. The heightened alert status is also being observed in the provinces of Basilan and Sulu where the Abu Sayyaf still operate – some 300 strong – after having received funding and training from bin Laden’s group back in the 1990s. “That’s where the [Abu Sayyaf’s] heart is," the AFP chief explained. The AFP chief begged off from disclosing just how many other suspected Abu Sayyaf members were being observed in Metro Manila, citing “operational security." IPSP Bayanihan strategies Considering that for the past several days there have been no terror attacks related to bin Laden’s death, Oban said security measures will not be slackened since “it has to be a continuous effort." Asked until when security efforts will be maintained, he answered, “Until we have reached the objectives of IPSP Bayanihan in neutralizing the Abu Sayayaf, and the JI [Jemaah Islamiya] and other groups. Oban explained that under the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan, the AFP has identified three threat groups: the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and the Abu Sayyaf-Jemaah Islamiyah, which he said called for different “operational strategies." He said that while the AFP wants “political settlement" with the CPP-NPA and the MILF, the “strategy is to neutralize" the Abu Sayyaf-JI with “focused military operations" “From Day One of the launching IPSP Bayanihan," he explained “Nan doon na agad yung operational guidelines na nilabas namin (Our operational guidelines were ready to be implemented)." “Isolate them first, cut off their lines, mass base support, logistics line," he said. “By then mayroon social pressure na iyan sa area. While we are doing this, yung developmental efforts lumalabas din – talagang continuous developmental efforts – sa area kaya the latest operatonal gains we had in Jolo and Basilan would attest to that," he said. (By then, social pressure would be employed in the area. While we are doing this, real continuous development efforts would be exerted in the area. The latest operational gains in Jolo, Sulu and Basilan would attest to that.) —MRT/KBK, GMA News