Troops raid home of MILF peace negotiator

Troops in armoured personnel carriers raided the home of Taps Jilhani, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front coordinating committee on cessation of hostilities in Cotabato's Kalanganan district before dawn on Thursday.

Members of an armed group of abductors were seen entering the area, said army spokesperson Maj. Julieto Ando, adding he did not know that Jilhani's residence was also raided. These being trailed eluded arrest. Only one man was arrested. Three firearms were seized. They did not come from Jilhani's home, Ando said.

"The Army men did not know who I was," said Jilhani.

MILF political affairs chief Ghadzali Jaafar said the 'mistaken raid' could further set-back the scheduled peace talks between the government and the MILF in Malaysia, adding the MILF will file a formal complaint over what happened. Last week, soldiers confiscated eight rifles from MILF commanders in the nearby town of Sultan Kudarat.

The MILF and the government forged a ceasefire agreement in 1997 and renewed it last year, following their on and off peace talks that were initiated by the government in 1997, for a comprehensive peace settlement in Mindanao.

Both sides have aired counter-accusations of ceasefire violations.

Irene Santiago, senior member of the Philippine panel negotiating peace with the MILF, defended the group, saying it has no evidence linking it to Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's Al Qaida terrorist network.

"There is no evidence. We have been talking to the Armed Forces (of the Philippines). They have made it clear to us that they have not been able to find any evidence of that link to the MILF," Santiago told Radio Australia.

The military earlier linked the MILF to the Al Qaida, but the MILF leaders strongly denied the accusation. Security officials also insisted the MILF is aiding the hostage-taking Abu Sayyaf which is still keeping three hostages in the hinterlands of Basilan.

When asked if the MILF is distinct from the Abu Sayyaf, Santiago said: "They denied there is a link because they say that what the Abu Sayyaf is doing, kidnapping, murder, beheading, all of that is un-Islamic."

Basilan is known as the territory of the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF. Both have earlier threatened to attack U.S. and Filipino soldiers if they encroach into their territories.

About 160 U.S. troops are now in Basilan and some 500 others in Zamboanga City to help train Filipino soldiers fight the Abu Sayyaf, whose hardcore members are estimated to be around 100. But the Philippine military said the group has scores of supporters, mostly Muslim civilians who are opposing the presence of U.S. forces in Basilan.

"Along with all the extremists and terrorists, there is a lot, not just among the MILF, but also the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are opposing the presence of U.S. forces," Santiago said, adding that Muslim civilians are also opposing the U.S. military presence in the South because they feel that they are being targetted by the training exercise.

"There is a very strong sense (of opposition by the Muslim community) and they feel really besieged and the government (peace) panel has been telling them that they are not the object (of the training exercise)," Santiago said.

Noting that the people in Mindanao are divided on the issue of the joint military training exercise, Santiago said: "There are also people who are concerned about having the Americans in the area."

The Philippine military is under fire for failing to resolve the hostage crisis that has entered its 11th month. "The military has been under fire for not resolving the problems and asking for (U.S.) help to solve it," said Santiago.

In Basilan, Catholic priest Cirilo Nacorda has accused the military of colluding with the Abu Sayyaf. Despite a Senate hearing and a separate government probe, there were no evidence to back up the allegations.