Muslims protest being targeted as 'terrorists'

About 200 Muslims held a rally yesterday, saying they are being indiscriminately targeted by the government's anti-terror campaign in Metro Manila.

After Friday prayers in a mosque in Manila's Echague district, Imam Abdul Bashet Marangit said, "We are against those who are putting a tag on us as terrorists. A witch-hunt is going on at the expense of Muslim residents in Metro Manila."

Marangit said that all the six Muslims who were recently arrested as suspected Abu Sayyaf members were normal people. "The four Turkish nationals are teachers, they are not terrorists," said Marangit, adding, "In the Muslim communities in Metro Manila, no one is allowed to kill. Stop calling us terrorists without basis," he said.

After praying in the mosque, all the Muslims held a meeting at the narrow road outside, where they talked about the problems that are confronting them today. "We are discussing ways to make the Philippine government realise the human rights violations on us," said Marangit.

"We have been the a target of raids. As a result, many of our brothers have been missing, all in the name of the government's anti-terrorism campaign," said a statement from the Coalition of Organised Muslims.

"We have become insecure. Based on experience, we have always been the targets of the government's anti-terrorism campaign," said the coalition. The Muslims also revealed that three converts, identified as Abdul Latif Rueca, Abdulwalal Villanueva, and Redendo Habil Dellosa have been missing before authorities announced their arrest.

Meanwhile, the wife of Villanueva, Hannah, said that government agents took her husband on March 28, and that they tortured him until he confessed that he planned several terror attacks in Metro Manila.

In a press conference, she said that she would file charges against the government for her husband's illegal arrest, and the violation of his human rights. "All the arrested Muslims are being held illegally," the coalition claimed.

At the same time, the protesting Muslims claimed that there are no Muslim terrorists in the southern Philippines. The protesters also claimed, "The US is the real terrorist." The government's campaign against terrorism in Metro Manila went into top gear after two leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group claimed that their suicide bombers are now based in Metro Manila.

They also said that ongoing arrests of alleged terrorists would not stop their plan to wage more terror acts in the metropolis.