Two suspected Indonesian terrorists blamed for the deadly 2002 Bali bombings are plotting fresh attacks in the southern Philippines, where one was spotted a few days ago, a Philippine security official said yesterday.
The pair are among 40 Indonesian militants from the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah group believed to be in the restive southern Mindanao region for jungle training and plotting attacks with local Muslim insurgents, said deputy national security adviser Virtus Gil.
Their presence reflects the strategic value of Mindanao to al-Qaeda's regional terrorist network and provides a major security concern despite a months-long respite from major terror attacks, analysts said. The two suspected bombers -- Pitono, also known as Dulmatin, and Umar Patek -- were believed to have sought refuge in Mindanao to evade a regional manhunt for their alleged involvement in the bombings on Bali that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
The two stay together most of the time, moving through the mountainous region bordering Maguindanao and Lanao provinces, Gil said. Dulmatin was monitored in the area last week, and Patek's presence was detected by government intelligence agents about a month ago, Gil said, without elaborating.
Government forces were working with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a Muslim rebel group engaged in peace talks with the government, to try to capture them, Gil said.
Gil said he believed the duo were not just hiding but also were involved in organizing terror training and planning new attacks. They have reportedly met several times with Khaddafy Janjalani, chieftain of the Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist group, prompting a continuous military manhunt to deter their plans, he said.
"They'll never stop plotting," he said. "We are secure until the next bomb explodes."
Gil spoke at a security conference where officials and analysts briefed about 200 business executives and embassy officials on terror threats. Andrew Tan, a Singapore-based Australian security analyst, said terror groups like Jemaah Islamiyah continue to plot attacks with local insurgents across Southeast Asia despite a regional crackdown that has led to the arrest of hundreds of suspected militants.
The pledge by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to “work, work, work, work and work” for her country has been named the catchphrase of the year, recognizing the effort Japan’s first female leader had to make to reach the top. Takaichi uttered the phrase in October when she was elected as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Many were initially as worried about her work ethic as supportive of her enthusiasm. In a country notorious for long working hours, especially for working women who are also burdened with homemaking and caregiving, overwork is a sensitive topic. The recognition triggered a
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