Manila defends its anti-terror efforts

Philippines yesterday slammed Australia for using an obsolete report that claims Mindanao is the "nerve centre of regional terrorism".

Presidential Palace officials urged Australia to update its records and defended the Philippines' anti-terrorism efforts in Mindanao. "We are steadily closing in on the terrorist threat," said Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye.

"Perhaps our allies should update their reports, as we step up transnational cooperation through intelligence and information sharing."

Bunye criticised the report by The Australian, which said the Southeast Asian-based regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) has had a 20-year tie with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayyaf.

The report, which quoted Australian intelligence documents, was supposedly a compilation of interviews with a senior JI defector and other sources, who confirmed potential existence of two training camps of the MILF in Mindanao for recruiting JI members.

Mohammad Nassir Bin Abbas, the former leader of the main camp being used to train JI members, was supposedly the main source of the confessions in the report.

"Our gains in the anti-terror campaign speak for themselves," Bunye said in response to the report.

Meanwhile, operational guidelines for an international team that will monitor the ceasefire agreement between Manila and the MILF have been signed by representatives from both sides last week in Manila.

The "terms of reference" will guide the monitors on "what they could and could not do" and "where they can and cannot go".

President Gloria Arroyo has meanwhile signed into law an order postponing the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to August 2005 and every three years thereafter.

The polls were originally scheduled this November, but lawmakers pointed out the need to delay it by a year to give the independent elections commission ample time to prepare. The last time the ARMM held polls was three years ago.

Pre-emptive strike will be blocked

Malacanang will block Australia's plan to take pre-emptive strikes against suspected terror camps across Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. "Any intrusion by 'flying squads' into Philippine territory is out of the question," said Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye. Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer earlier announced their plans to take pre-emptive strikes against suspected terror camps.