July 8, 2001, The Philippine Star, Bin Laden's Role in RP Terrorism Tackled,

July 8, 2001, The Philippine Star, Bin Laden's Role in RP Terrorism Tackled,

Manila, July 8, 2001 - The country’s central intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Board (NIB), is set to meet on Friday to evaluate intelligence reports that Saudi billionaire terrorist Osama bin Laden is financing the training of Abu Sayyaf bandits as international terrorists.

While the NIB meets regularly every month, the meeting on Friday was called ahead of schedule and, so far, has only two items on the agenda the supposed plot to assassinate President Arroyo and threats of bomb attacks on the US and Israeli embassies.

While Golez was tight-lipped in an interview with The STAR yesterday, he admitted the NIB may also tackle information he has gathered from unidentified overseas contacts.

"We’re all looking into these reports," Golez said. "I cannot give you details (because) these are all information subject to verification. But we never take anything for granted."

The NIB, which Golez chairs, is composed of all government intelligence agencies and is co-chaired by National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) director general retired Gen. Cesar Garcia.

Golez said Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona has also been quietly verifying reports that Bin Laden is financing the training of Abu Sayyaf bandits in Afghanistan.

Bin Laden is wanted in the United States for financing several terrorist activities and is now hiding in Afghanistan under the protection of the ruling Taliban clique.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits are supposedly being trained for a high-profile incident, like bomb attacks and an assassination attempt on the President, that would get international attention.

But the Presidential Security Group (PSG) placed the entire Malacañang compound under heightened alert and increased security measures yesterday.

Aside from strict visual inspections of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, the PSG has also deployed bomb-sniffing dogs, including "Harold," the Golden Retriever donated by former Press Undersecretary Ike Gutierrez to former President Joseph Estrada.

"That’s how careful we are. The life of the President and the members of her family are serious matters. That’s the security policy all over the world," Golez added.

At the same time, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza said the police have already taken security measures not only in Metro Manila but in other urban centers nationwide.

"We will not give them an opportunity to strike," Mendoza said, noting that Afghanistan-trained Abu Sayyaf bandits may take advantage of big events scheduled for this month to carry out their terrorist plans.

Mendoza was referring to the arraignment for plunder of jailed former President Joseph Estrada on Tuesday and the opening of the 12th Congress on July 23.

The police also assured the public that additional uniformed and plainclothes policemen have been deployed in unspecified shopping malls, places of worship, hotels and offices of foreign companies to deter terrorist attacks.

The frequency of mobile and foot patrols has also been tripled in the vicinity of foreign embassies, especially the US embassy in Manila and the Israeli embassy in Makati, Mendoza added.

Authorities suspect the recent change in the Abu Sayyaf’s "language" against the United States, the sudden inclusion of Israel in new "political" demands and the stepped-up, high-profile activities indicate the bandit group may have a new agenda.

Mendoza said that among the suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits who were arrested by the PNP Intelligence Group over the past few weeks are five bomb experts who were reportedly dispatched to Metro Manila to carry out bombing missions.

Other arrested bandits turned out to be members of an Abu Sayyaf faction procuring high-powered arms from the proceeds of illegal drug operations, Mendoza said.

The Abu Sayyaf suspects were rounded up amid reports that some 50 Filipino Muslims, presumably members of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group, are now being trained in terrorist camps in Afghanistan under the auspices of Ben Laden.

"It’s a major, major, major operation to send 50 people to train abroad and even the AFP cannot afford to send such a contingent, Golez said.

"Unless, of course, the (alleged Filipino Muslims) have a big sponsor and are well-funded," he added.

Already, the Abu Sayyaf’s criminal activities in Sulu and Basilan islands in Western Mindanao have been getting international attention because they usually target Westerners.

Last year, even far away Libya got involved in a kidnapping incident involving several European, South African and Malaysian nationals. Libya paid the ransom, amounting to tens of millions of dollars, for the captives.

With the recent developments, Golez said he would be willing to recommend the suggestion of Sen. Rodolfo Biazon that Mrs. Arroyo convene the National Security Council (NSC) to tackle current national security issues.

Biazon bared on Wednesday the contents of a Russian intelligence report, submitted to a UN Security Council committee of experts, claiming some 50 Filipino Muslims were training in Afghan terrorist camps, also financed by Bin Laden.

Golez said the authorities have long been apprised of the supposed terrorist activities of some Filipino Muslims in Afghanistan and their supposed link with Bin Laden, whom the US accuses of financing terrorist activities all over the world.

Sources at the Foreign Office also confirmed that aside from conducting terrorist training for Abu Sayyaf bandits, financial assistance has also been seeping from Afghanistan to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao.