RP economy target of Abu Sayyaf
MANILA (Sunstar) -- The downfall of the Philippine economy was the target set by the Muslim bandit Abu Sayyaf in their terroristic activities in Mindanao, according to Nadzmie Sabdullah alias Commander Global.
Global, now detained at the Davao del Norte Provincial Rehabilitation Center, said the group's terroristic activities like kidnapping and bombing are just part of their war tactics and that their ultimate goal is destroy the economy.
Just like the demolition of the New York World Trade Center, Global said, they are planning to do the same here in the Philippines.
"If you target the President of a country, it's nothing because they can change him or her. But if a symbol of a world economy like the World Trade Center, the economy of the world will surely collapse. It will be hard for our enemies to recover," he said matter-of-factly.
Global admitted that they are terrorists but only to their enemies. He said it is always against their religion to harm the innocent.
Global and his three other co-accused in the May 22 Pearl Farm raid were arrested in a Muslim compound in General Santos City last July 8. The four are now awaiting the start of their trial in Panabo Regional Trial Court slated this Nov. 8.
Meanwhile, in Isabela, Basilan, military troops hunting down the Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebels who are holding 14 American and Filipino hostages found the guerrillas' cache of bombs, officials said.
The devices, made up of electronic timers and fertilizer chemicals, were found in Lantawan, Basilan on Oct. 12, local Army chief Col. Hermogenes Esperon said.
"We have recovered the bombs left behind by the Abu Sayyaf in Lantawan," he remarked.
The discovery indicated that the Abu Sayyaf were behind the bombing of two hotels in the nearby Zamboanga City in an apparent attempt to divert troops closing in on the rebels in Basilan.
Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu said the Abu Sayyaf were also planning to bomb Isabela City in Basilan to try to throw the military off their trail. (SNS)
Jan. 26, 2002, 11:28AM
Philippine police foil plot to kidnap American
By ADAM BROWN
Associated Press
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines -- A notorious kidnapping gang raided a Dole Food Co. Inc. plantation today in an apparent attempt to seize an American executive, but the gang was ambushed by police acting on a tip.
The raid came as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo assured the nation that U.S. troops helping to fight another group of kidnappers, the Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebels, would not participate directly in combat.
Police blamed the Dole plantation raid on the Pentagon Gang, which specializes in kidnapping foreigners and is on a U.S. list of international terror groups.
Police Col. Bartolome Baluyot said two junior commanders of the Pentagon Gang were killed when they tried to storm the house of Christopher H. Hubbard, Dole's director for agriculture in Asia.
Baluyot said other gang members fled and were being hunted by police.
He said police were waiting after receiving reports that the gang, which already holds Italian priest Giuseppe Pierantoni, planned to abduct Hubbard from his offices on 25,000-acre Dole pineapple plantation and cannery in Polomolok town, 620 miles southeast of Manila. The gunfight broke out as the Pentagon tried to storm the area.
Baluyot said intelligence reports told him to expect at least eight gang members. It was not clear how many showed up.
Two days before Christmas, police raided a Pentagon jungle camp and rescued Pierre Belanger of Ottawa, Canada, who had been held hostage for nearly two months. Police killed two gunmen in a clash with the gang.
The southern Philippines is plagued by kidnapping gangs and Muslim guerrilla uprisings.
The Pentagon is increasingly active but is much smaller than the Muslim rebel group Abu Sayyaf, also infamous for kidnapping foreigners. It currently holds Wichita, Kan., missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap on the southern island of Basilan.
Ping.