JI arrested member reveals Abu Sayyaf bombing plot: TV report
23/3/2005 15:16
An arrested member of the southern Asian terrorist network, Jemaah
Islamiyah (JI), confessed that the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is planning
simultaneous bombings in the cities of Manila and Davao during the Holy Week, a
local TV reported today.
According to the ABS-CBN news channel, the
25-year-old suspect, identified as Rohmat, said that the head of the Abu Sayyaf
group, Khadaffy Janjalani, gave 100,000 pesos to Muslim rebels to conduct
bombings in the two cities.
"They want to plant two bombs in Manila and
Mindanao. They also paid Abdul Basid, a member of the MILF (Moro Islamic
Liberation Front). He was the one who planned and delivered the bombs in Davao,
in Mindanao," Rohmat told the ABS-CBN.
Rohmat was arrested by the military
intelligence agents and the Bureau of Immigration in Datu Saudi Ampatuan of
Maguindanao province on March 16.
The JI member admitted that before his
arrest, he met with Abu Sayyaf leaders and 15 members in Maguindanao where he
learned of the Holy Week bomb plot.
According to the military, the arrested,
who came from North Sumatra five years ago along with 20 JI members, was trained
to make explosives by the late JI bomb-maker Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi.
Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan
Tuesday said that Rohmat confirmed that Janjalani was still alive, contrary to
the announcement by the AFP that Janjalani was among those killed in an air
strike in Mindanao last November.
Under interrogation, Rohmat revealed that
Janjalani had ordered and financed the Valentine's Day bombings in the capital
and two southern cities of Davao and General Santos, leaving eight dead and more
than 100 others wounded.
During the Holy week, the military and Police said
that they would keep its alert level in case of terrorist attacks claimed by the
Abu Sayyaf group.
Xinhua
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