RP among world’s ‘terrorist safe havens’ — US gov’t report

From the Daily Tribune (Jun 3): RP among world’s ‘terrorist safe havens’ — US gov’t report

CONSIDERED ‘UNGOVERNED, UNDER-GOVERNED OR ILL-GOVERNED’ AREAS

The US government has retained the Philippines among countries considered as “terrorist safe havens” based on an official report submitted to the US Congress last May 30.

Entitled “Country Reports on Terrorism 2012,” the report is periodically sent to Congress in compliance with a US law that requires the Department of State to provide to Congress a full and complete annual report on terrorism for those countries and groups meeting the criteria of the Act. The report was published May 2013.

In the lengthy May 30 report by the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism,  the Philippines, with its Sulu archipelago, along with Indonesia and Malaysia, was cited as “difficult region for the authorities to monitor.”

“Terrorist safe havens described in this report include ungoverned, under-governed, or ill-governed physical areas where terrorists are able to organize, plan, raise funds, communicate, recruit, train, transit, and operate in relative security because of inadequate governance capacity, political will, or both,” the report noted.

It noted that Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have improved efforts to control their shared maritime boundaries, including through the U.S.-funded Coast Watch South radar network, which is intended to enhance domain awareness in the waters south and southwest of Mindanao.

“Nevertheless, the expanse remained difficult to control,” it noted.

“Surveillance improved but remained partial at best, and traditional smuggling and piracy groups have provided an effective cover for terrorist activities, including movement of personnel, equipment, and funds,” the report said.

The United States has sponsored the Trilateral Interagency Maritime Law Enforcement Working Group since 2008 and this has resulted in better coordination among Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines on issues of interdiction and maritime security.

“Asia is vulnerable to exploitation by illicit traffickers and proliferators given the high volume of global trade that ships through the region as well as the existence of smuggling and proliferation networks,” the report said.

“Weak strategic trade control legal and regulatory frameworks, and inadequate maritime law enforcement and security capabilities make Southeast Asia an area of concern for weapons of mass destruction proliferation,” the report said.

“Counterterrorism operations over the past 10 years, however, have been successful at isolating and constraining the activities of domestic and transnational terrorists,” according to the report.

“Philippine cooperation with U.S. counterterrorism efforts remained strong,” it added.
“Abu Sayyaf Group members, numbering a few hundred, were present in remote areas in Mindanao, especially the islands of the Sulu Archipelago while Jemaah Islamiya members, of whom there were only a small number remaining, were in a few isolated pockets of Mindanao,” it said.

“The Communist People’s Party/New People’s Army maintained a national presence with a focus in rural and mountainous areas,” according to the report.

“Continued pressure from Philippine security forces made it difficult, however, for terrorists to organize, plan, raise funds, communicate, recruit, train, and operate,” the report said.

In 2012, the Department of State designated three new Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and amended three existing designations.

In addition, the Department listed 18 organizations and individuals as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under E.O. 13224 and amended three existing designations.

The Department also revoked the designations of two organizations. The Department of the Treasury also designated organizations and individuals under E.O. 13224.

Various transnational terrorist organizations continued activities in the East Asia and Pacific region during the year, while the nature of the terrorist threats evolved, it said.

In January, Thai authorities arrested a Hizballah operative, who led Thai officials to a significant cache of explosives and bomb making materials.

In the Philippines, terrorist acts were generally limited to criminal activities designed to generate revenue for self-sustainment, such as kidnapping for ransom or extortion, but members of terrorist groups were suspected to have carried out several bombings against public and private facilities primarily in the central and western areas of Mindanao, it said.

“The Government of the Philippines moved toward a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by signing a Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro in October. A comprehensive peace agreement with the MILF has the potential to improve peace and security in Mindanao,” the report said.

“The Philippines has coordinated with US law enforcement authorities, especially regarding US fugitives and suspected terrorists. An under-resourced and understaffed law enforcement and justice system coupled with widespread official corruption, however, resulted in limited domestic investigations, unexecuted arrest warrants, few prosecutions, and lengthy trials of cases,” said the report.

The report noted successes including the June 21 arrest of a suspected Abu Sayyaf member involved in the 2001 abduction of US citizens Martin and Gracia Burnham and Guillermo Sobero.

The US also noted a police operation that resulted in the death of suspected Malaysian JI member Mohammad Noor Fikrie bin Abdul Kahar last Dec. 14, who was known to be carrying a bomb in his backpack at the time.

“The Philippines maintained its strong counterterrorism cooperation with the United States. The ability of terrorist groups, including the Abu Sayyaf, JI and the CPP-NPA, to conduct terrorist activities in the Philippines remained constrained,” the US state department said.

It cited limited operations of a declining number of Abu Sayyaf and JI members, and the CPP-NPA’s shrinking opportunities “to organize, plan, raise funds, communicate, recruit, train and operate” despite its national presence.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/14910-rp-among-world-s-terrorist-safe-havens-us-gov-t-report