Security, intelligence authorities monitoring IS recruitment - Del Rosario

From InterAksyon (Sep 17): Security, intelligence authorities monitoring IS recruitment - Del Rosario
 

The country’s security and intelligence agencies have begun monitoring attempts to recruit Filipinos to the Islamic State in the Middle East, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Wednesday.

At the same time, Del Rosario said the death of two Filipinos fighting with IS in Syria, which his department had earlier reported as cited in a confidential memorandum to Malacanang, remained “unconfirmed.”

Nevertheless, he said, “The Philippine government is cognizant of the potential threat to national security that could be posed by Philippine nationals joining extremist groups overseas."

"Our security and intelligence authorities have commenced the monitoring of possible recruitment by ISIS and other foreign extremist groups in the Philippines," he added, using the acronym for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the name used to refer to IS before it declared a “caliphate” and adopted the new name.

His statement came after Moro National Liberation Front spokesman Absalom Cerveza confirmed that Syrian militant had already recruited and funded them to wage war alongside Islamic State forces in Syria.

"The DFA will extend assistance and support in terms of reaching out to our international partners, helping to facilitate information sharing, having our posts continue reporting on developments but defer to security and intelligence agencies on operational matters," Del Rosario assured even as he stressed that they would defer to the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other security agencies on operational matters.

“We reiterate that the Philippines condemns the war crimes and crimes against humanity being perpetrated by ISIS," del Rosario said. "As a responsible member of the international community, the Philippines will do its part in global efforts to thwart ISIS." he added.

Aside from the reported Filipino deaths in Syria, the DFA also said 100 Filipinos had undergone military training and been deployed to the war-torn Middle East country.

Earlier, DFA spokesman Charles Jose admitted the agency has no capability monitoring Filipinos who may have joined the IS in Iraq or Syria, where the government has a standing ban on the deployment of overseas workers.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/95578/security-intelligence-authorities-monitoring-is-recruitment---del-rosario