Philippines' Arroyo hails killing of militant ( 2003-10-13 11:18) (Agencies)
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
congratulated security forces on Monday for killing a fugitive Indonesian
militant, saying his death showed that "terrorists" would never succeed in her
country.
The Philippine military said on Sunday Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi had been killed
earlier that day, three months after escaping from a Manila jail, eliminating a
major security threat six days before President Bush visits the country.
Al-Ghozi, seen in this July 2 file photo,
escaped from national police headquarters in Manila on July 14. He had
admitted to being a member of Jemaah Islamiah , a southeast Asian
guerrilla group suspected of strong ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda
network. [Reuters]
"The death of al-Ghozi signals that terrorists will never get far in the
Philippines," Arroyo said in a statement.
"We are determined to end this transnational threat decisively."
Al-Ghozi, a member of the Southeast Asian Jemaah Islamiah Muslim militant
group that has been linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda, was jailed in 2002 for
17 years for possessing explosives and falsifying documents.
He was also accused of masterminding bombings that killed 22 people in Manila
in December 2000.
His escape in July was a severe embarrassment for the government.
The Philippines, an overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country, is a staunch ally
of the United States and is expected to get even more U.S. military and
development aid when Bush makes an eight-hour visit to Manila on October 18.
The government gave no details of al-Ghozi's death, but a radio station
reported he was killed after a shoot-out with police in the southern region of
Mindanao.
The reports said al-Ghozi had been one of two men who began firing at police
after their vehicle was stopped near the town of Pigcawayan in North Cotabatu
province.
But radio also quoted the governor of the province as saying it appeared
there had only been a few shots heard in the area rather than a major shoot-out.
A doctor who declared a man dead on arrival at a hospital told media the
bullet-riddled body resembled al-Ghozi.
"The body, which has similarities with al Ghozi, bore three gunshot wounds in
the chest, one in the abdomen, and one in the lower extremities."
The army killed one Filipino Muslim rebel who fled with al-Ghozi in mid-July
and recaptured another last week.
Intelligence agencies suspected al-Ghozi's hand in other attacks in the
region. The United States says the bomb expert trained at an al Qaeda camp on
the Afghan-Pakistani border.
In recent days the Philippines has reinforced security at possible targets
ahead of Bush's visit.
Australia has said the Jemaah Islamiah could increasingly turn its attention
to the Philippines because it offers many targets such as Western-style clubs,
hotels and multinational businesses.
