PNP fears new breed of terrorists

A ranking police official disclosed yesterday that a new breed of terrorists could have been spawned with the fall of the regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"The fall of Baghdad will not eliminate terrorism in the country. In fact, we are anticipating to fight a complicated war against these new breed of terrorists," a ranking member of the Philippine National Police (PNP) –Task Force Sanglahi told The STAR.

His assessment was bolstered by a report from the US-based Stratfor which said worldwide terrorism will remain a major problem in the days ahead.

Stratfor also reported out that the war in Iraq was not primarily aimed at eliminating weapons of mass destruction but to teach rogue nations against harboring terrorists.

"For as long as there are people who wanted to exploit religion for their own political and personal ambitions, terrorism will not be gone. Instead, it will only have a new face and tag," the police official said.

He added these problems are still prevalent among Arab nations where most unlearned but fanatic and fundamentalist Muslims only know the language of war against perceived enemies of Islam.

The same police official maintained that the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will continue its links with foreign terror groups.

"Without financial and logistical help pouring in for the MILF, (chairman) Salamat Hashim alone and his top lieutenants could not have sustained this long their fight for a separate Muslim state in Mindanao," said the official.

The official bared the high possibility of foreign terrorists who were under the former care of Saddam, could have been forced out with the fall of Baghdad from the coalition forces and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.