Maj. Gen. Mike Hindmarsh, commander of Australia’s Special Operations Command, arrived here under tight security provided by troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Southern Command (Southcom) complemented by US forces.
Hindmarsh was briefed by Southcom officials on the security situation and the ongoing campaign against Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants and the Abu Sayyaf.
However, Southcom chief Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan refused to grant interviews on Hindmarsh’s visit, fueling questions about the real purpose of the Australian military official’s visit.
Military sources said Hindmarsh was briefed for over than two hours by the Southcom over recent developments in the hunt for JI militants in Mindanao.
Hindmarsh also visited a US navy cargo ship anchored off the Zamboanga Channel.
The military earlier denied reports that elite Australian troops have joined Filipino soldiers in hunting down JI militants in the country, particularly in Mindanao.
Australia’s News Ltd. newspapers cited an unnamed former agent as saying that Australian agents and Special Air Service Regiment troops were cooperating with Filipino soldiers in the hunt for senior terrorist figures.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, in an earlier interview with the Australian media, would neither confirm nor deny the presence of Special Air Service Regiment troops (SAS), the shadowy regiment that has spearheaded Australia’s combat roles in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Armed Forces had previously said Australian security forces have only been involved with investigations of recent bomb attacks in the country, adding that the Constitution bars any foreign troops from engaging in military operations.
A Camp Aguinaldo spokesman admitted Australian policemen composed of bomb experts played a major role in the conduct of what he called a "post-blast" probe into the SuperFerry 14 bombing in Manila Bay on Feb. 27 last year.
Based at the Subic Bay freeport zone in Zambales, Australian policemen were also instrumental in the filing of cases against the Abu Sayyaf in the attack, Pascual said.
Beyond that, Australian security forces, including American troops, are not allowed by the Constitution to actively participate in military operations unless covered by a treaty or agreement, Pascual pointed out.
Philippine security forces are now on the hunt for JI militants Dulmatin and Umar Patek.
Both are key suspects in the 2002 Bali bombing in Indonesia that killed 202 people, mostly Australians, and are now believed to be with the group of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khaddafi Janjalani in Central Mindanao.
They are also suspected of helping plan the Oct. 1 suicide attacks on three tourist-packed Bali restaurants that killed 23 people, including the bombers and four Australians. About 100 people were wounded.
Washington announced last week a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Dulmatin, and up to $1 million for information leading to Patek’s conviction.
The Philippine government also warned that at least two terrorist cells composed of Filipino and Indonesian JI militants are now plotting to carry out bombing missions in Manila.
Filipino troops are now tracking down at least four people in each of the cells, but identified them only as members of the al-Qaeda-linked groups JI and the Abu Sayyaf.
A week after the Oct. 1 Bali bombings, attention is focusing on terrorist cells operating in the southern Philippines.
Fugitive bomb makers Noordin Mohamed Top and Azahari bin Husin are also believed to be the masterminds behind the recent Bali attacks. Azahari is known as the "Demolition Man" for his knowledge of explosives while Noordin has been labeled the "Moneyman" for his supposed ability to raise funds for the group’s deadly missions.
A top Indonesian anti-terror official, Maj. Gen. Ansyaad Mbai, also has identified the two as the alleged masterminds of the latest bombings.
Indonesian police say the two have eluded capture for years by renting cheap houses in densely populated areas, with nearby back alleys for quick escapes. — With AFP