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MANILA, Philippines – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is considering implementing martial law in Sulu, Basilan and the entire Sulu Archipelago in an attempt to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf Group. The terrorist group has continually engaged in high-profile kidnappings throughout the southern regions of the Philippines – often abducting business owners and foreigners. Recently the group has begun decapitating its captives after ransom demands are not met. Duterte told reporters during his pre-election campaign that he would not hesitate to invade Sulu if the Abu Sayyaf Group does not surrender to his demands. ...

ZAMBOANGA, PHILIPPINES U.S. troops in the southern Philippines face the prospect of battle with descendants of the Muslim insurgents that brought U.S. General John "Black Jack" Pershing to the country more than a century ago. Before deploying to Basilan on the weekend, the Green Berets took seminars on the roots of Muslim rebellion in the poverty-wracked south as they brought Washington's war on terrorism to one of the most remote parts of the former U.S. colony. "It's an old war," said Datu Amil Jumaani, a Muslim professor who lectured the U.S. troops. Arab missionaries brought Islam to the Philippines in ...

A Muslim separatist rebel wanted for arson and bombings has been arrested in the southern Philippines, police said on Saturday. Smawtin Basilan, who is a member of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and who had a 12,000-dollar bounty on his head, was arrested at his home in Midsayap town Wednesday, police said. Basilan is believed to be a top lieutenant of MILF commander Ameril Umbrakato, one of two MILF leaders wanted for large-scale attacks on several mostly Christian towns and provinces in the south in August last year. The attacks led to the deaths of over 300 people...

MANILA - A controversial Muslim congressman was the target of a powerful bomb blast outside the Philippine House of Representatives that killed him and two others, police said this morning. Wahab Akbar, one of the most influential figures in the Philippines' restive south, died in hospital last night as doctors fought to save his life. A driver and a congressional aide were also killed. Nine other people were injured in the blast, which hit the south lobby of the sprawling complex in the capital Manila just minutes after most congressmen had left for the evening. Manila police Chief Geary Barias...

The second front in America's war on terror is yielding limited results THE arrival in January of 1,200 American soldiers in sleepy Basilan island in the southern Philippines drew attention to a wider threat of international terrorism in South-East Asia. Abu Sayyaf, a militant group the Americans have been helping to fight, is just one of many in the region, after all. Its founder, Abubakar Janjalani, trained with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Two of the September 11th hijackers had spent time in Malaysia. Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the first bombing of the World Trade Centre, in 1993, used...

THE military yesterday beefed up security in all water sources in Basilan after confirming intelligence reports that the Abu Sayyaf had planned to poison the island’s water supply. The Southern Command, however, could not explain how would they poison the Basilan water sources. In another development, joint military training exercises for the Balikatan have been stalled for two weeks due to the delayed submission of training modules. Maj. Cynthia Terramae, US spokesman for Balikatan explained that the proposed training modules have "yet to be signed by proper authorities" in Washington and Manila. Terramae, however, said Balikatan participants still "on...

JAKARTA, March 20 (IslamOnline) - The Chinese embassy in Manila assured the Philippine authorities Tuesday that Beijing is not funding leftwing groups or Muslim insurgents in Mindanao, as the U.S. prepared to send five hundred more troops from the U.S. Army’s 101st (Airborne) Infantry Division to Mindanao before this weekend. Earlier press reports suggested that China was behind the financial floating of rebel movements in the Philippines. The report said the Chinese supported communist elements fighting for the establishment of a leftist regime in the country. The report also said Muslim rebels were benefiting from Chinese handout of funds to...

NO 'POLICY DECISION' YET: PALACEUS seeks to deploy more troops in RP Posted: 0:01 AM (Manila Time) | Mar. 17, 2002 Inquirer News Service 'Civic action personnel' THE UNITED States wants to bring in more troops for the controversial Balikatan 02-1 training exercise aimed at wiping out the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan. But presidential spokesperson Rigoberto Tiglao on Saturday said the Philippine government had not yet made any "policy decision" on the US proposal. Tiglao said the proposal called for the deployment of more American "civic action personnel," not combat troops. Under the Balikatan terms of reference, Manila and...

JAKARTA, March 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - American military helicopters were involved in rescue operations for the first time in the joint war with the Philippines against Abu Sayyaf rebels who are fleeing the island of Basilan, news reports said on Sunday. The entry of U.S. troops directly in the war indicates that the Americans are ready to take risks in the battle against the rag tag kidnap gang. The helicopters help evacuate three wounded Filipino soldiers after a clash with Abu Sayyaf members that left one Filipino soldier dead, military officials said. In the meantime, Abu Sayyaf is...