Defiant Islamiyah plans more attacks

The Indonesia-based Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah remains "committed to its goal" and "unfazed" by the recent arrests of its members across Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, according to a local military intelligence report.

The spate of bombings in Zamboanga City and Metro Manila and in Bali, Indonesia, may be the prelude to an attempt — with Jemaah Islamiyah having a crucial role — to establish a "Darulah Islamiah Raya" or a "unified Islamic caliphate" spanning five Southeast Asian countries, the report obtained by The STAR said.

"They have already begun, and we don’t think they’re going to stop just like that," a senior intelligence official said on condition of anonymity.

Philippine authorities have stepped up investigations to prevent possible further terror attacks but refused to elaborate.

According to the intelligence report, the Darulah Islamiah Raya would comprise of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. Other neighboring countries would eventually be "absorbed."

Southeast Asia would be a "vital part" of al-Qaeda’s worldwide operations. Because of this, Australia would be placed "under strong threat" from extremists.

To establish the Islamic state, Jemaah Islamiyah was tasked with coordinating with other militant groups in various countries, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the Philippines, the Kumpulan Militan in Malaysia, and the Jashkar Jundullah in Indonesia, among other groups.

To coordinate operations, Jemaah Islamiyah formed the "Rabitatul Mujahedeen Alliance," which acts like a central committee comprising leaders of the various militant groups.

An alleged influential member of the Rabitatul Mujahedeen, the MILF would provide training camps for operatives of Jemaah Islamiyah and other groups. Jemaah Islamiyah would provide funding.

The Rabitatul Alliance allegedly facilitated the sharing of resources, including weapons and explosives, training and funds.

Of the 21 Jemaah Islamiyah members arrested in Singapore in September, four allegedly trained in MILF camps in Central Mindanao. When the camps were captured in 2000 by the Philippine military, camps were set up in Indonesia.

The report also said the recent bombings in Zamboanga City, the North Cotabato city of Kidapawan and the passenger bus attack in Quezon City last Friday may be the handiwork of local militants with ties to Jemaah Islamiyah.

"These could be diversionary because they want to stage the attacks before the Ramadan (Muslim religious month)," a Philippine military intelligence official told The STAR.

The allegations were dismissed by MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu. "We are tired of denying the allegations. Why not conduct an investigation that will be supported by the MILF leadership?" he told The STAR in a telephone interview.

"Terrorists do not allow themselves to be investigated. Terrorists do not negotiate; we negotiate. Terrorists do not believe in ceasefires; we observe the ceasefire agreement (with the government)," he said.

He said the MILF remained committed to resolve the decades-old Muslim insurgency in Mindanao through peaceful means. "How do you reconcile their (the military) accusations with our actions," Kabalu said.

The government and the estimated 12,000-strong MILF are engaged in peace talks brokered by Malaysia.

Founded by Hashim Salamat, the MILF – which has been fighting for an Islamic state since 1977 – had earlier denied any links to al-Qaeda or any terrorist group. This is the first time that the rebels have been linked to Osama bin Laden.

The Philippine military intelligence report jibed with earlier US news reports citing US and regional intelligence officials, that al-Qaeda has been moving its operations to Southeast Asia following the loss of its bases in Afghanistan.

According to a captured al-Qaeda operative, the group was reportedly planning "large-scale attacks against US interests in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Cambodia."

Last month, the information threw the US government into such a scare that it raised an alert and closed some of its embassies in several countries.

Al-Qaeda reportedly set up ties with at least nine militant groups in region, including Jemaah Islamiyah, which reportedly operates in at least five countries – Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Last week, five alleged Jemaah Islamiyah members were arrested in Malaysia. The group is also suspected in the deadly car bomb attack in Bali on Oct. 12 that killed nearly 200 people and wounded 300 others, mostly Australian tourists.

Last week, Indonesian authorities placed Islamic cleric Abubakar Ba’asyir, allegedly the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, under "hospital arrest" for his alleged ties to al-Qaeda.

Ba’asyir advocates for the establishment of an Islamic "superstate" and is a self-described fan of Bin Laden but denies any involvement in terrorist activities.

In the Philippines, police said Jemaah Islamiyah may be establishing "cells" in the country and is poised to launch attacks.

Police said the group may be involved in the 2000 Rizal Day bombings, in which scores of people were killed or wounded in a series of bomb attacks across Metro Manila, including one across the US embassy.

Early this year, Philippine courts convicted two Indonesians, both suspected members of Jemaah Islamiyah. Officials say the two, Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi and Agus Dwikarna, were involved in the Rizal Day bombings.

The group was also allegedly responsible for the bomb attack on a Philippine ambassador in Jakarta in 2000 in retaliation for a Philippine military offensive against the MILF.

Police also say Jemaah Islamiyah may be responsible for the bomb blast that ripped through a bus Friday night in Quezon City’s Balintawak district, killing two people and wounding at least 19 others.

Using a police sketch based on the description provided by one of the survivors, police are hunting down a man suspected of carrying out the bus attack.

The blast followed bomb attacks in a Zamboanga City shopping district on Thursday which left seven people dead and 162 wounded. Seven unexploded bombs were later found and disarmed in the area.

Security was tight across Metro Manila last Friday following a grenade explosion before dawn Friday that damaged a van in the financial district of Makati but injured no one.

Another grenade was found nearby and safely detonated. Police said the Makati blast was not believed to be related to the blasts in Mindanao.

Some 300 police officers patrolled major shopping malls amid fears of attacks similar to Thursday’s shopping mall bomb attacks in Zamboanga.