From the Manila Times (Sep 28): DFA: Report Filipino jihadist recruits training in Iran ‘ridiculous’
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) called “ridiculous” the report that 100 Filipinos trained in Iran to fight alongside the anti-government group in Syria and to engage in extremist activities, the Iranian Embassy in Manila said.
In an interview last week, Iranian Ambassador to Manila Ali Asghar Mohammadi said his office submitted a note verbale to the department, clarifying a Camp Crame leaked report that cited a memorandum from the Foreign Affairs agency to President Benigno Aquino 3rd.
Mohammadi said that during his embassy’s discussion with the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Middle East and African Affairs, the agency rejected the reports and said they were “ridiculous.”
The department is investigating how it was leaked to the media, the envoy added.
“We asked them [DFA] about these accusations. Of course, we deny any sort of reports which are all accusations by any standards. The DFA itself said [in] the conversation we [had] that they are totally rejecting this in any manner. They said it’s ridiculous,” Mohammadi said.
He denied the memo that said Iran has been the training ground for some 100 Filipinos recruited by the jihadist movement in Syria.
http://www.manilatimes.net/breaking_news/dfa-report-filipino-jihadist-recruits-training-iran-ridiculous/
Reports that Iranians trained Filipinos for the anti-Assad jihadist movement doesn't seem to make much sense. Syrian President Assad and his supporters are predominately Alawi Muslims, a sect of the Shia branch of Islam. ISIS and al-Qaeda view the Shia as heretics and have been killing them in the thousands.
ReplyDeleteIranians are Shia Muslims have supported the Assad government. Thus the idea that they would train Sunni jihadists to help topple that government seems a bit far-fetched.