The Moro Islamic liberation front at 20: State of the revolution

Studies in Conflict and Terrorism

Volumn 28, Issue 6, 2005, Pages 453-479

  Abuza, Zachary ^a,b  

^a Department of Political Science and International Relations ^*

^b SIMMONS COLLEGE   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 27944507317     PISSN: 1057610X     EISSN: 15210731     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/10576100500236881     Document Type: Review

References (126)

1. Interview with Eid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 9 January 2002.
2. Interview with Aboud Sayed M. Lingga, Cotabato, 9 January 2002.
3. The SPCDC was a transitory administration under the direct supervision of the Philippine president to promote peace and implement and monitor development projects in Mindanao.
4. Carolyn A. Arguillas, "Interview with Salamat Hashim, Chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front," part 1, Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI).
5. Rigoberto Tiglao, "Southern Discomfort," Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER), 19 February 1998, 26-27.
6. Tiglao, "Southern Discomfort," 27.
7. Interview with President Fidel V. Ramos, Manila, 15 January 2001.
8. Following the take-over of Camp Abubakar, President Estrada himself led the flag raising and the feasting of roasted pigs and beer for the "victorious" AFP.
9. Jesus Dureza is the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao and the lead negotiator for the government. In February 2001, President Arroyo ordered the Department of Justice to lift all charges against Salamat Hashim and five other MILF leaders for the 30 December 2000 terrorist bombings in Manila.
10. From the Tripoli accord. "Agreement on Peace Between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front," Tripoli, Libya, 22 June 2001, pp. 2-3.
11. "Agreement on Peace Between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Ibid.
12. Interview with Musib M. Buat and Abdullah Cambian, Manila, 3 January 2004.
13. Interview with Lt. General Rudolfo Garcia, Vice Chief of Staff, AFP, and Chairman GRP-CCCH, Quezon City, 29 June 2004.
14. For a complete listing of all AFP positions in the Rajah Muda and Buliok Complex region see Mary Ann Arnado et al., Bantay Ceasefire 2003 (Davao, March 2004), p. 48. This author independently verified these forward positions. The AFP withdrew in August 2004.
15. She commissioned Ermita to draw the development plan and to negotiate with Malaysian investors.
16. Interview with Lt. General Rudolfo Garcia, Vice Chief-of-Staff AFP, and Chairman GRP-CCCH, Quezon City, 29 June 2004.
17. The special panel created by the government, the Maniwang Commission, cleared the MILF of the two bombings that occurred on 4 March 2003 in Davao, at the International Airport and Sasa Wharf, which left 38 people dead and more than 200 wounded. The Maniwang Commission, issuing its findings on 25 March, was ignored by the Davao regional prosecutor's office, which continued to press charges against some 150 MILF leaders. In April 2004, the MILF's lawyers, assisted by the government's Public Attorney's Office, filed papers at the Department of Justice to urge the Davao prosecutor's office to reconsider their prosecution. See, "Prosecutor to MILF on Davao Bombings: Face Trial," MindaNews, 1 June 2004. Government officials have linked several JI members who were trainers at MILF camps and now held in custody in Malaysia to the bombings.
18. The first sentence means that Allah is man's creator and he is the highest authority. As he is the absolute lawgiver, only sharia can be obeyed, while positive law, such as a constitution, cannot be observed. The second sentence means that the Prophet Mohammed is the one and only messenger of God, and that through the Prophet, God sent guidance to mankind, that is, sharia.
19. Interview with Atty. Michael Mastura, Cotabato, 7 January 2004.
20. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 12 January 2004.
21. The government can ill afford either increased security costs or a loss of foreign investment. Already, there is little FDI investment because the huge public sector debt, which has more than doubled to P3.36 trillion ($60.32 billion) since the Asian Economic Crisis in 1997, is not leaving the government money to invest in infrastructure. FDI is 19 percent of GDP, and must be increased to 28 percent to deal with the country's surging unemployment that has increased from 12.2 percent in first quarter of 2003 to 13.7 to the same period in 2004. Of the country's 36.5 million man labor force, more than 5 million are unemployed, and countless more are underemployed.
22. Interview with Aboud Syed Lingga, Cotabato, January 2004.
23. See excerpted minutes from the 30-31 July meeting of the Central Committee.
24. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 10 January 2004.
25. Interview with Eid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 12 June 2004.
26. Interview with Zaccarias Candao, Cotabato, 10 June 2004.
27. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004.
28. This story was also conveyed to the author by Zaccarias Candao.
29. Interview with Benjie Midtimbang, Chairman MILF-CCCH, Marawi, 24 June 2004.
30. He was appointed around June 2004, but has not assumed his position or been publicly named. When the author returned to Mindanao in September 2004, he inquired as to why the Tausig had still not been named or assumed his position. Without going into details, MILF officials told me that there were "problems" in his region of Zamboanga and that he was unable or unwilling to move and take on a new position. "There appears to be some reluctance on his part to accept the offer because of internal problems within that base command." Interview with Eid Kabalu, Cotabato, 22 September 2004.
31. Interview with Atty. Michael Mastura, Cotabato, 7 January 2004.
32. Kabalu reiterated Murad's statement that "They [the Pentagon Gang] really are a problem to us and to our people," and that "Murad is committed to wiping them out." Interview with Fid Kabalu, Cotabato, 22 September 2004.
33. Kablau, however, stated that Murad's approval of the operation was not based on a power struggle with Samir: "There is no difference between Samir and Murad. But there are units attached to Samir who have ties to four pentagon leaders." Interview with Fid Kabalu, Cotabato, 22 September 2004.
34. Interview with Major General Raul Reylano, Commander VI Infantry Division, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp Siongco, Datu Ampatuan, 21 September 2004.
35. When asked why he was not replaced, the source cited two explanations: First, if they purged him it would lead to negative publicity and lead to speculation about factionalism. Second, Jafaar remains one of the most charismatic of the MILF leaders, and is their best orator and propagandist.
36. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004.
37. Interview with Fid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 12 June 2004.
38. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 12 January 2004.
39. Interview with Atty. Michael Mastura, Cotabato, 7 January 2004.
40. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 12 January 2004.
41. Interview with an MILF political officer, Cotabato, 16 January 2004.
42. Simon Elegant, "Mindanao's Biggest Boss," Time Asia, 30 August 2004.
43. Stuart Grudgings, "Radical Islam Strains Philippine Rebels," Reuters, 10 October 2004.
44. Interview with Zaccarias Candao, Cotabato, 10 June 2004.
45. Interview with Lt. General Rudolfo Garcia, Chairman GRP-CCCH, Quezon City, 30 June 2004.
46. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 27 June 2004.
47. Interview with an NICA Officer, Cotabato, 12 June 2004.
48. The IMT-IST was comprised of 12 Malaysian observers, and the respective GRP and MILF CCCH panels.
49. Interview with Lt. General Rudolfo Garcia, Chairman GRP-CCCH, Quezon City, 30 June 2004.
50. Interview with Benjie Midtimbang, Chairman MILF-CCCH, Marawi, 24 June 2004.
51. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004. The 105th Base Command asserts that it alone has 20,000 men under arms. Mary Ann Arnado et al., Bantay Ceasefire 2003 (Davao, March 2004), p. 49.
52. Simon Elegant, "Mindanao's Biggest Boss," Time Asia, 30 August 2004.
53. Interview with a NICA Officer, San Juan, Manila, 1 July 2004.
54. Interview with an NICA Officer, Cotabato, 12 June 2004.
55. Mary Ann Arnado et al., Bantay Ceasefire 2003 (Davao: Initiatives for International Dialogue, March 2004).
56. Also see Fr. Roberto Layson OMI, In War, the Real Enemy is War Itself (Davao: Initiatives for International Dialogue, 2003), p. 32.
57. Interview with Eid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 12 June 2004.
58. Romesh Ratnesar, "Confessions of an Al Qaida Terrorist," Time, 16 September 2002;
59. BIN Interrogation Report of Omar al-Faruq (June 2002).
60. Indonesian National Police (INP), "Interrogation of Mohammad Nasir bin Abbas," Jakarta, 18 April 2003.
61. INP, "Interrogation of Suyatno," Semerang, 16 July 2003;
62. INP, "Interrogation of Machmudi Hariono," Semerang, 18 July 2003;
63. INP, "Interrogation of Joko Ardiyanto," Semerang, 19 July 2003.
64. Singapore-based fundraisers and supporters of the MILF now under detention include: Husin Abdul Aziz (52), Sakahan Abdul Rahman (54), Habibullah Hameed (45), Faizal Khan Gulam Sarwar, and Mohamed Agus Ahmad Selani. The latter two were arrested in December 2001, but released and served with restriction orders. "Jemaah Islamiya Forged Links with Regional Groups," Straits Times, 20 September 2001.
65. Republic of Singapore, Ministry of Home Affairs, White Paper: The Jemaah Islamiyah Arrests and the Treat of Terrorism (Singapore, 2003).
66. See Note 104.
67. Nassir bin Abbas names Ebrahim el Haj Murad, Samir Salamat, Aleem Abdulazziz Mimbintas, Ghadzali Jafaar. Sammy Mansour Al-Ghambar, Abu Hurairah, Benjie Midtimbang, and Hadji Ahmad Pasigan as his contacts. The only unidentified MILF contact was Zaid.
68. Interview with Benjie Midtimbang, Chairman MILF-CCCH, Marawi, 24 June 2004.
69. Interview with Musib Buat, Manila, 3 January 2004. This was also noted by a local MILF commander operating near Camp Cararao, Jun Abubakar, "It is like you are in the Sahara Desert. Your main enemy is thirst for there is no water around." Cited in Jeoffrey Maitem, "Govt, MILF Agree to Flush-out JI," ABS-CBN, 17 June 2004.
70. Mary Ann Arnado et al., Bantay Ceasefire 2003 (Davao: Initiatives for International Dialogue, March 2004), pp. 66-67.
71. Tawfiq Riefqi, an Indonesian national, was arrested in Cotabato on 3 October 2003. He was believed to have been a lieutenant to Zulkifli.
72. Interview with Ryan Mark Sullivan, Col. Gilberto Roa, and Dickson Hermoso, Cotabato, 24 June 2004.
73. Simon Elegant, "Mindanao's Biggest Boss," Time Asia, 30 August 2004.
74. Interview with Eid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 9 January 2004.
75. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 27 June 2004. He also told me that the Blind Sheikh Abdulrahman also came to Maguindanao. "I think that they were trying to survey the area. My father was discouraged. He thought they were coming for religious purposes."
76. Even Dr. Abas Candao, the Head of the Bangsamoro Development, Agency complained that Saudi charitable funding had dried up. His own orphanage had received IIRO funding in the past. Interview with Dr. Abas Candao, Cotabato, 16 June 2004.
77. Interview with Eid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 9 January 2004.
78. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004.
79. Simon Elegant, "Mindanao's Biggest Boss," Time Asia, 30 August 2004.
80. Interview with Colonel Rudolfo Mendoza, Philippine National Police, Manila, 6 January 2004.
81. U.S. Charge d'Affaires Joseph Mussomeli stated at a Davao press conference on 9 June 2004, "What we do know is that there are links between the JI and certain factions of the MILF and this puts the MILF hierarchy in a very difficult situation. For one, this could mean that they are not telling the truth about their linkages or they do not have control over their own people. Either one is not a good situation. If there are factions within the MILF who have these links to JI, then its incumbent and the responsible thing for the MILF hierarchy to discipline them and break those links." Chilette Bolo, "US Diplomat Claims MILF 'Factions' Have Links with JI," MindaNews, 9 June 2004.
82. Even MILF officials that the author has spoken with have acknowledged off the record that Samir Salamat has been too lax in dealing with them.
83. Interview with a member of the GRP-CCCH, Manila, 1 July 2004.
84. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 12 January 2004.
85. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004.
86. Interview with an MILF official, Cotabato, January 2004.
87. Interview with an MILF official, Cotabato, 12 January 2004.
88. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004.
89. Interview with an MILF political officer, Cotabato, 16 January 2004.
90. Interview with Eid Kabalu, Cotabato, 9 January 2004.
91. The four were Sammy Abusama Abdulgani, Montasir Esmail, Badrudin Tula, and Datu Puli Ungka. All were members of the 109th Base Command in Datu Piang. They were arrested in Barangay Tabiran in Datu Odin Sinsuat. Seized from the suspects were 4 kilograms of TNT, 20 rounds of rocket-propelled grenades, 10 rounds of 81 mm mortars, pistols, and hand grenades.
92. Interview with a NICA Officer, Cotabato, 12 June 2004.
93. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004.
94. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 12 January 2004.
95. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 27 June 2004.
96. Interview with a member of the MILF-CCCH-Secretariat, Cotabato, 27 June 2004.
97. Philippine security officials charged al-Bakre with being a bomb instructor for the MILF, something that the MILF strenuously denies. There is considerable evidence that he was a Koranic instructor at the Camp.
98. This redeployment was confirmed by Bantay Ceasefire.
99. Interview with Eid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 9 January 2002.
100. "An Update of the Recent Bombing in Mindanao and Metro Manila," 25 November 2002.
101. Interview with Eid Kabalu, MILF Spokesman, Cotabato, 9 January 2002.
102. The IIRO was established in 1978 in Saudi Arabia as a nongovernmental humanitarian organization. It is part of the Muslim World League, a fully Saudi state-funded organization whose assets were frozen by the U.S. Treasury. It has more than 30 offices, and its activities cover more than 75 countries in different parts of the world. It was used extensively by Saudi Arabian intelligence services to channel Saudi, American and Gulf-state funding to the Afghan Mujiheddin from 1979-1989.
103. ICG, 22.
104. Interview with a NICA Officer, San Juan, Manila, 1 July 2004.
105. Bantay Ceasefire, 23. Operation Thunderstorm launched in mid-October 2002 after the AFP learned that 600-700 MILF and ASG were massing in Lanao del Norte. Some 200 were from the Zamboanga peninsula.
106. Interview with a senior NICA official, Quezon City, 28 June 2004.
107. Khadaffy is roughly 30 years old, the youngest of 5 children. Khadaffy studied Islamic studies in Marawi City, before traveling to Pakistan and later an Al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan. He is married to Sherma, his first cousin and the daughter of Ustadz Hussein Manatad, one of the religious directors of the Tabuk Mosque in Isabela, Basilan.
108. Interview with a NICA Officer, San Juan, Manila, 1 July 2004.
109. Simon Elegant, "The Return of the Abu Sayyaf," Time-Asia, 30 August 2004.
110. Khadaffy Janjalani and some 40 combatants have relocated, first from Basilan to Zamboanga del Norte to Palimbang Sultan Kudarat.
111. Interview with a senior AFP commander, 6th Infantry Division, Camp Siongco, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, 21 September 2004.
112. The Malaysian government has exerted considerable pressure on the MILF to "expel ASG in their midst."
113. See (http://news.inq7.net/regions/index.php?index=1&story_id=12606).
114. "Separatist Rebels Met Arab Pair, Say Former Captives," SCMP, 15 October 2001.
115. Torres, Into the Mountain, p. 34, in "Interrogation of Mohammad Nasir bin Abbas," INP, Jakarta, 18 April 2003..
116. Philippine National Police, "The Threat of Terrorism and PNP Countermeasures," undated, pp. 6-7.
117. Interrogation of Nassir bin Abbas. Nassir claimed to have trained 540 militants a year until early 1998 at MILF camps.
118. Zulkifli was captured in September 2003 while trying to surreptitiously enter Malaysia's Sabah state from the Sulu archipelago in the Philippines. He was captured with 5 other JI members. Although the Malyasian government announced this arrest, they did not disclose the fact that there were two additional Middle Eastern operatives with them. One is believed to be an Al Qaeda operative whereas the other confessed to being a member of the Tabliqh.
119. ICG, p. 22.
120. Philippine police and intelligence officials who have been given access to Mustaqim, who was arrested in Indonesia, tend to believe that he is at best an un-cooperative and at worst an unreliable witness. Although he is detained in Indonesia, he has not been charged with anything as mere JI membership is not a crime in Indonesia, and he has not been linked to any of the three bombings that have taken place since October 2002. He has thus not been forthcoming in his interrogations. As one Philippine intelligence official told me: "Basically he is confirming what we already know; he is chronicling the training. Mustaqim is receiving free medical treatment for his broken leg. Philippine authorities have an outstanding arrest warrant for him and Zulkifli, although it is highly unlikely that either will be extradited to the Philippines."
121. Interrogation report of Taufiq Riefqi. Zammy arrived in the Philippines sometime in April 2000 and is presently an instructor on religion at Camp Jabal Quba.
122. Philippine National Police, "The Threat of Terrorism and PNP Countermeasures," undated, p. 7.
123. "Al-Qaeda Financier for Abu Sayyaf Arrested in Philippines," Sun-Star, 14 May 2004.
124. Alcuin Papa, "Bin Laden Man in RP Captured," PDI, 15 May 2004. There had been a warrant for Mundus's arrest in connection with bombing operations carried out by the Abu Sayyaf, in Kidapawan City on 10 October 2002, and the other in General Santos City on 8 July 2001.
125. Alcuin Papa, "Bin Laden Man in RP Captured," PDI, 15 May 2004.
126. Interview with Ghazali Jafaar, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, 17 June 2004.