Two Indonesian nationals who were imprisoned in Manila for suspected terrorist activities had allegedly brought in other Indonesian nationals to undergo training at the former camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the southern Philippines two years ago, a source said.

Agus Dwirkana and Fathur Al Ghozi have brought several Indonesian nationals to undergo training on explosives at the Camp Abubakar when it was still held by the MILF, said the source who requested anonymity.

The MILF members did not give the training since they also underwent training on bomb-making, the source said. He did not say if there were other foreigners during the training period.

This was the reason why Dwirkana, one of three Indonesian nationals who was arrested for carrying components of explosives, at the international airport on March 14, was not released despite Indonesian Prime Minister Megawatti Sukarnoputri's request to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said the source.

Last week, Dwirkana was sentenced up to 17 years in prison for illegal possession of firearms.
Al Ghozi was arrested in Manila's Quiapo district on January 15.

During interrogation, he admitted that he bought Anzomez Primer, a high explosive initiator, from two retailers in Cebu, central Philippines.

He kept them for a while in a rented house in General Santos, southern Philippines, before sending them to an Asean country, which was not identified. Police seized the explosives on January 17.

Last month, Al Ghozi was s sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment. Authorities claimed that Dwirkana is a member of Hizbut Tahir, a political movement. It has links with the extremist group Rabitual Mujahidin and the Al Qaida.

Authorities alleged that Dwirkana and Al Ghozi are members of the Jemaah Islamiyah, the Southeast Asian counterpart of the Al Qaida. Jemaah Islamiyah allegedly planned to attack Western targets in Singapore earlier this year.

Authorities claimed that Dwirkana and Al Ghozi were behind the bombings that killed 22 people at the elevated train system in Manila on December 30, 2002.

Dwirkana was behind the bombing of the residence of Philippine Ambassador Leonides Caday in Jakarta in August 2000, authorities added.

The Philippine government has not yet filed charges against them for having undergone training session at Camp Abubakar. The Philippines does not have anti-terrorism law, the reason why authorities have filed charges only of illegal possession of firearms and explosives on suspected terrorists.

The government and the MILF are holding peace talks in Malaysia, with the help of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).