Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Strange ABSCBN Report On 'New' Terror Group

Citing police sources during the last 24 hours, ABSCBN News has been airing a Report that a "new group" called the Tanzim Qaidat al Jihad has written a letter to the Jemaah Islamiyah and or the Abu Sayyaf-Rajah Sulaiman Movement, regarding assassination plans for top Philippine government officials, including President Arroyo her Cabinet.
The PNP added that apart from the assassination plan, the JI-backed faction threatened to bomb the cities of Kidapawan, General Santos, Zamboanga, Davao and Baguio...Relatedly, ABS-CBN News was able to get hold of photographs that showed terrorist training cells in Mindanao, particularly in Maguindanao, North Cotabato; Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte; Ipil, Zamboanga-Sibugay; Languyan Tawi-Tawi; South Ubian Sulu; and General Santos.Documents gathered also listed January 18 as the date of graduation of the JI-formed faction from a terrorist training course. The group's first mission, documents said, was to launch bomb attacks, assassinations and kidnappings.
But the US State Department identifies this particular name Tanzim Qa'idat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn QJBR)

Other Names
Al-Zarqawi Network
Al-Qa’ida in Iraq
Al-Qa’ida of Jihad Organization in the Land of The Two Rivers
Jama’at al-Tawhid wa’al-Jihad

Description
The Jordanian Palestinian Abu Mus‘ab al-Zarqawi (Ahmad Fadhil Nazzal al-Khalaylah, a.k.a. Abu Ahmad, Abu Azraq) established cells in Iraq soon after the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), formalizing his group in April 2004 to bring together jihadists and other insurgents in Iraq fighting against US and Coalition forces. Zarqawi initially called his group "Unity and Jihad" (Jama‘at al-Tawhid wa’al-Jihad, or JTJ). Zarqawi and his group helped finance, recruit, transport, and train Sunni Islamic extremists for the Iraqi resistance. The group adopted its current name after its October 2004 merger with Usama Bin Ladin’s al-Qa’ida. The immediate goal of QJBR is to expel the Coalition -- through a campaign of bombings, kidnappings, assassinations, and intimidation -- and establish an Islamic state in Iraq. QJBR’s longer-term goal is to proliferate jihad from Iraq into "Greater Syria," that is, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan.

Damn! Tanzim Qaidat is Zarqawi's terrorist group in Iraq!

Can this possibly be right?? I sure hope not!

If it IS true, maybe it is the result of a recent witchhunt by anti-war anti-Coalition media who have been loudly name-calling and deriding as "mercenaries" any Filipino OFW who is willing to work for the US or Iraqi government agencies helping to stabilize and rebuild Iraq. At the rate we are defaming ourselves, Democratic Iraq will probably overtake us in a year or two. By the way, I do hope, for all our sakes, that those newspaper ideologues who claimed Zarqawi killed only a few dozen Iraqis in his murderous career (instead of hundreds or thousands), will NOT actually make the acquaintance of Tanzim Qa'idat al Jihad here, any time soon.

9 comments:

john marzan said...

If it IS true, maybe it is the result of a recent witchhunt by anti-war anti-Coalition media who have been loudly name-calling and deriding as "mercenaries" any Filipino OFW who is willing to work for the US or Iraqi government agencies helping to stabilize and rebuild Iraq.

I think the term "mercenary" is harsh. Trabaho lang naman ang hinahanap nila eh. And most of our OFWs in the Green Zone were not hired by the Blackwater company.

Deany Bocobo said...

John--Am still trying to decide if this might not be real. It would be really scary if it were.

Deany Bocobo said...

This is email from Dave Hanley in San Antonio Texas:Ain't it funny how those who take legitimate jobs with legitimate firms are
called mercenaries?.

In contrast, those who do terrorist bidding are called insurgents or even
milder names.

And by the way, the opposite of "mercenary" is ---------"conscript". So
those who use the former term as a perjorative betray their ignorance, not
to mention their inner desire to own slave soldiers.

Guess you have heard about the latest from the New York Slimes. The
current publisher, "Pinch"
Schulzberger once told his late father that whenever an American met a North
Vietnamese, he (Pinch) hoped it was the American that would die. (Courtesy
of Allahpundit and Michelle Malkin.)

Last but not least, which way is the Philippines gonna jump on the UN gun
ban?

Regards,
Dave

MikeCohen-at-large said...

Hi Rizalist-

On the group- it is common for the al qaeda factions to have very similar generic names it is no surprise if they have the same name here as they did in Iraq.

On another note: look at the name of Abu Sayyaf - the one they like to called is - Al harakatul Al Islamiyah - in simple english translation it means the Islamic Movement.

They use very generic terms to use for the groups they are from.
IU Do not know the translation yet of this new group.

But at www.fyitv.net we got a report from Mindanao linking the recent bombing in Maguindanao to these new graduates of JI.

JI by the the way also translate into simple Arabic- Jemaah Islamyah meaning simply - Islamic group or organization.

In tagalog 'Jemaah' translates to "Samahan" according to people I've interviewed.


In many cases groups from here in Asia all the way across the seas to Middle east linked to the terror groups all have very similar names and simple meanings.

Seems the Jihadi's are ahead in the use of generics! anyhow - yes the group there is traced back to the area called the classroom which lies from Cotabato City to Maguindanao to Gen San where many of the groups members train and learn how to blend in.

I've done a few stories on the ground there and its pretty open country- meaning easy to get in or out.

Lastly- on the issue of armed guards or mercinaries- basically as I posted in MikeinManila- here's governments stand on the sending of "armed civilains" to work for security firms.

" Statement on the POEA website at: http://www.poea.gov.ph/

POEA not sending civilian fighters to

Iraq, Afghanistan
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) does not process documents of Filipinos hired as “civilian fighting force” for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The July 2004 ban on deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq has not been lifted and the reported deployment of security forces to Iraq and Afghanistan did not pass the documentation system of the government.
The government allowed the recruitment of Filipino workers for Iraq in the latter part of 2003 but only for deployment to campsites which were found safe from attacks from Iraqi rebels and terrorists. Most of the deployed workers were assigned to do construction, maintenance, housekeeping, and catering jobs inside American camps.
The deployment of Filipinos to Afghanistan was also allowed but was limited to professionals working in projects controlled by the United Nations (UN). POEA processed the contracts of these workers only after endorsement and clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs. ""

MikeCohen-at-large said...

Hi Dean Bocobo-

three other groups also have the same name, the late Zarkawi's group, Another in Pakistan, and one in Afghanistan.

Tanzim Qaidat-al Jihad, means "Al-Qaida’s Jihad Organization.” per PTI reports describing the group as headed by Bin laden's No.2 -

So if there is a faction here... it may be using a another new common generic name.
mkc

Deany Bocobo said...

A warm welcome to Philippine Commentary Mike.

I notice in the blogosphere a number of reports -- including a Tanzim Europa making similar threats. Thanks for the info and links. Perhaps the blast this past week that killed 5 people is the start of another rough patch...

Not a good time with the political leadership still building a century old democracy...the old fashioned way, they're fighting over it.

Deany Bocobo said...

Actually, it looks like there's a rash of TANZIM ALQAIDA breaking out all over MB. Apart from the one in Afghanistan and Pakistan, there is one for Europe too. It's probably a sympathy kind of thing for Z guy enjoying a crowd of virgins.
Your opinion on Iraq is your own, but if the report is true, we are all in for some nasty times now I think.

What're you gonna do when they balibomb Malate? Berate Bush?

Deany Bocobo said...

MB,
I think it's called the Clash of Civilizations. Been going on a long, long time. What would you call it?

Anonymous said...

Peace on earth is just a christmas greeting, or an answer to a judge's question for Ms. Universe.