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Terrorists may look at SE Asia for camps: US Gen Myers
International terrorists may be looking at Southeast Asia as a site for training camps and bases after the devastation of their infrastructure in Afghanistan, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Saturday.
International terrorists may be looking at Southeast Asia as a site for training camps and bases after the devastation of their infrastructure in Afghanistan, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Saturday.
The region has a number of Muslim fundamentalist groups who could serve as hosts, and recent reports have quoted US officials as saying some al Qaida linked camps may already exist in Indonesia. Gen Richard Myers, on a three-nation visit to Washington's biggest allies in Asia, wouldn't comment specifically on Indonesia but said it was clear that Osama bin Laden's organization, with a presence in at least 60 countries, needs new bases. "We have seen links to other organizations in the region," Myers told a news conference. "We also know that the al-Qaida is looking for other places to train and plan operations. They can't do that inside Afghanistan anymore, so they've been disrupted there.” "I think we have to be very cautious and very vigilant on where that might be. It could be here, as well as other places in the Middle East." He underscored the challenges of linking al-Qaida's members with its funding sources and the way it gets weapons because of how the group is compartmentalized, but said officials should spare no effort because of its attempts to obtain weapons of mass destruction.
"That makes it a serious threat to all of us," Myers said. The US now has nearly 4,000 troops in the Philippines 1,000 in the south for six months of counter-terrorism training exercise to help local forces wipe out the al Qaida linked Abu Sayyaf group, and 2,700 in the north for three weeks of war games aimed at improving the Philippines' defense and ability to join in UN peacekeeping missions.
Their presence is sensitive in the former US colony, which refused 11 years ago to extend the leases for US bases. Leftist groups have protested numerous times outside the US Embassy, claiming the exercises are part of a plan by Washington to return for good. "There is absolutely no intention to establish a US base here or permanent presence here," Myers said. But he said that if the Philippines - a staunch supporter of the US war on terrorism that is fighting Muslim insurgencies in the south and communist rebels in the north - seeks more training or equipment, Washington will be receptive.
He dismissed any suggestion that the US could sit on the sidelines while other countries fight their own battles, saying "That is not a good strategy" because of the increasing multinational cooperation among terrorist groups.
Myers met President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other Philippine officials on Friday and said cooperation with the Philippines "could not be better." He planned to go Sunday to visit the US troops in the south, then fly to South Korea and Japan. Myers said this week that some of the 80 US allies in the war on terror need technological boosts, to make it easier to communicate and participate in US plans and actions and help domestic militaries and law enforcement agencies respond to and perhaps fight a signature tactic of terrorists ‘the element of surprise’. Bureau Report
The region has a number of Muslim fundamentalist groups who could serve as hosts, and recent reports have quoted US officials as saying some al Qaida linked camps may already exist in Indonesia. Gen Richard Myers, on a three-nation visit to Washington's biggest allies in Asia, wouldn't comment specifically on Indonesia but said it was clear that Osama bin Laden's organization, with a presence in at least 60 countries, needs new bases. "We have seen links to other organizations in the region," Myers told a news conference. "We also know that the al-Qaida is looking for other places to train and plan operations. They can't do that inside Afghanistan anymore, so they've been disrupted there.” "I think we have to be very cautious and very vigilant on where that might be. It could be here, as well as other places in the Middle East." He underscored the challenges of linking al-Qaida's members with its funding sources and the way it gets weapons because of how the group is compartmentalized, but said officials should spare no effort because of its attempts to obtain weapons of mass destruction.
"That makes it a serious threat to all of us," Myers said. The US now has nearly 4,000 troops in the Philippines 1,000 in the south for six months of counter-terrorism training exercise to help local forces wipe out the al Qaida linked Abu Sayyaf group, and 2,700 in the north for three weeks of war games aimed at improving the Philippines' defense and ability to join in UN peacekeeping missions.
Their presence is sensitive in the former US colony, which refused 11 years ago to extend the leases for US bases. Leftist groups have protested numerous times outside the US Embassy, claiming the exercises are part of a plan by Washington to return for good. "There is absolutely no intention to establish a US base here or permanent presence here," Myers said. But he said that if the Philippines - a staunch supporter of the US war on terrorism that is fighting Muslim insurgencies in the south and communist rebels in the north - seeks more training or equipment, Washington will be receptive.
He dismissed any suggestion that the US could sit on the sidelines while other countries fight their own battles, saying "That is not a good strategy" because of the increasing multinational cooperation among terrorist groups.
Myers met President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other Philippine officials on Friday and said cooperation with the Philippines "could not be better." He planned to go Sunday to visit the US troops in the south, then fly to South Korea and Japan. Myers said this week that some of the 80 US allies in the war on terror need technological boosts, to make it easier to communicate and participate in US plans and actions and help domestic militaries and law enforcement agencies respond to and perhaps fight a signature tactic of terrorists ‘the element of surprise’. Bureau Report