Abu, JI linking up for urban terror?

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Military officials are checking police intelligence reports that the Abu Sayyaf and Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) have linked up to form a new urban terror squad.

Intelligence reports said the Urban Death Squad Sabillah (UDSS) was set up in this city last March by Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafi Janjalani, Jainal antel Sali alias Abu Solaiman, Isnilon Hapilon and two unidentified Jemaah Islamiyah members.

The new terrorist squad was to wreak havoc after the May 10 elections, the report said.

Lt. Col. Renoir Pascua, Armed Forces Southern Command information chief, said military intelligence has been checking every reported threat and presence of terrorists in Mindanao.

"The anti-terrorism campaign is ongoing and the activity to flush out the menace has not ceased," Pascua said. "The campaign is ongoing and that is going on even transnational."

Reports of a new terrorist plot started circulating three weeks after police intelligence agents captured Kair Mundus, the alleged financial conduit between the Abu Sayyaf and al-Qaeda.

Mundus, who was captured in a raid in his hideout in Barangay Talon-Talon late April, is now detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

However, military officials said they were not aware of the arrest of Mundus as they have not been informed of the operation.

Two weeks ago, a money trail involving $25,000 for terrorists in the Philippines has been traced by authorities to top terrorist Osama bin Laden through a labyrinth of remittances.

The discovery was made following the arrest of Filipino Muslim Jordan Mamso Abdullah, 46, suspected paymaster of the JI in Mindanao.

Authorities believe that the $25,000 was wired by Bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network to the JI in Malaysia before being remitted to the Philippines.

The funds were intended for terrorist attacks and training, officials said.

Abdullah was arrested last April 3 in his hideout in Cotabato City on the strength of a warrant issued by a Judge Antonio Lubao of the General Santos regional trial court.

Military and police intelligence officials have intensified anti-terror operations in Cotabato City since last year to monitor and capture suspected Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists.

One of those arrested last year, Indonesian Taufiq Rifqi, is believed to have also handled finances for Jemaah Islamiyah in the country.

The fund was also traced to Riduan Isamuddin, former JI operations chief, also known as Hambali, now under custody of US forces who captured him in Thailand last year.

Abdullah also is believed to have had dealings with Rifqi, who was arrested by troops in Cotabato City in October last year. — Roel Pareño, AFP