Philippine Rebel Factions Meet in Libya

Excite news ^ | Apr 5, 10:37 AM (ET) | AP

[tlrugit]

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) - At least five factions of the oldest Muslim rebel movement in the Philippines opened talks on reunification Saturday, seeking to strengthen the 1996 peace agreement with the Philippine government, Libyan officials said.

A Philippine government representative and the governor of the southern Philippine province of Mindanao were attending the talks, scheduled to last two days, the officials said.

The Moro National Liberation Front fought for Muslim self-rule in the southern Philippines in the 1970s. With the help of Libyan mediation, it signed a peace deal with the government in 1996 that granted the region limited autonomy.

Several factions broke away from the main group, however, after the arrest of its leader Nur Misuari, who is being tried for allegedly leading an attack on an army base in November 2001 that killed more than 100 people.

With Libyan help, four factions signed a unity declaration in January and were invited to Libya to seal the agreement.

The Libyan government hopes the talks will result in Muslim groups gaining a united voice in negotiations with the government.

No violent factions - such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or the al Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group - are participating in the talks.

[lilylangtree]

Aren't these the guys representing the movement that's kidnapping and murdering people in the Philippines? If so what in God's name are they doing loose running around like they own the world?

[Arkinsaw]

Kaddafi has been making me laugh every time I hear about him for the last year. He is so freaking scared to death its unreal.

[Elle Bee]

INCOMING !!

.

[Tahoe3002]

Just another example of the tie-in between terrorism and islamism. In 1978, or so, ayatollah khomeini in iran declared war against the USA, the great satan, as iranian/muslim policy. (thank you france for harboring this hate mongering pig of a "cleric".) All muslims are encouraged to wage jihad against the infidels, that being anyone who is not muslim. That is not new policy folks, that is the strict interpretation of the koran.

BTW, I deliberately do not capitalize proper nouns of iraq, saddam, muhammed, clinton, gore, kerry, etc.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[piasa]

fyi