Darul Islam Sabah: Filipinos among arrested – Malaysian police confirm JI link

Malaysian Police clarify arrest reports

Indonesians, Malaysians , and Filipino’s among those arrested.

Group arrested over a two month period and was a logistics and transportation as well as financial support unit for the Militants of the JI.

[] … Police chief Bakri Omar said, ” With their arrests, the police have crushed the underground network of the militant group Darul Islam Sabah who had collaborated with Indonesian militants,” he said. “This group also helped seven Indonesian militants, including Umar Patek and Dul Matin who were involved in the Bali bombings in October 2002, to travel into southern Philippines from Indonesia between 2003 and last March.” …[]

He downplayed reports of direct ties to AL QAEDA and reduced the number of those reported apprehended from 12 to 11 in his press conference in Kuala Lampur the Malaysian capital.

Earlier reports quoting local Police in Sabah had said a Dozen men where arrested; the Malaysian National Police also claimed the group was arrested over a period of time as long as two months ago – he did confirm that of those caught 2 Filipinos are among the persons currently held and that the arrests took place over the last two months.

Malaysian officials also denied the group had any immediate plans but were more of logistical unit supporting the movement of the terrorists in the region. Weapons including assault rifles were also seized from the group.

Reports say “12 men – six Malaysians, three Indonesians and three Filipinos ” are in custody under the ISA one man a filipino has been released. Identities of those held have not been revealed as of this time.

Rome: Bird flu science summit

 A Report on the 'Bird Flu' crisis in Indonesia says a group of top scientists are to meet in the Italian capatial to discuss the rapid spread and indonesian strain of the avian flu vrus spreading across one town in Indonesia.

The Indonesian ANTARA national news agency says the conference will be seen as a major step by mediacal groups to look over new findings on the current 'human to human' clusters of transmission found there.   

[] ….  Scientists meet in Rome to dicsuss bird flu mysteries
Rome (ANTARA News) – Scientists from some 100 countries began a two-day conference in Rome on Tuesday to try to define the exact role of migratory birds in the spread of avian flu, one of several mysteries puzzling researchers nearly three years. … []

Malaysia: Darul Islam report says ties to Al Qaeda confirmed with arrests

There is a report out of mayalsia the members of the 12 men arrested had ties to Al qaeda as one of the men in the group now held in Malaysia under the internal security act is alleged to have ties to afghanistan training camps as well as Mindanao based members of the terror group Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiah.

In an exclusive report the newspaper Malaysian Star reports in an exclusive by WONG CHUN WAI and LOURDES CHARLES … who got the original story two days ago.
[] … Militant trained by al-Qaeda
Malaysia Star, Malaysia -
… who was trained to handle arms and make bombs, is said to have conducted similar training for members of the group in Indonesia and in the southern Philippines … []

MP3: http://media.odeo.com//files/1/1/4/458114.mp3 (audio cast)

Follow up: A source in the Southern philippines says among the documents siezed from the men are detailed intinery of a humanitarian mission in the area. The Philippine military source lso says they helped malaysian military with assistance from US forces in the area in tracking communications of the group. 

Another source has claimed the group is seen as part of the 'JI men' believed to have been training 'on the move' in the southern philippine back-door area. targets in the philippines, indonesia, and another ASEAN country are among the targets the group may have been planning to hit.  

Gore: Environment scientists say “10 years left”

 

A report on the BBC website had a ominous ring to it about the dangers of climate change that many are chosing to ignore at their own peril about damage done to the Global Environment.

It's a picture albeit painted by former US Vice President – Al Gore – about the dangers of climate change and the continued damage wrought to our environement as well as raising fears about the growing problem.

Unfortunatly being dragged into Political views – but – it is a real problem that needs to be addressed. Sadly the messenger – not the message is heard. Shame really all the politcal swings and continued plays by "big energy" to keep things as they are — an intense lobby and funds to keep the world fosilzed fueled – and keeping the route of damaging the planet.

Malaysia: 12 arrests announced – new terror group named – REPORT

Malaysia busts new terror group that as inked to extremists in the Southern Philippines;

The new splinter group authorities say here in the region had a higher level of education and technology skills as opposed to those in the field.

The group has been called the Asian al qaeda 'geek squad' by sources at the Malaysian counter terrorism center which works with other south east Asian governments in combating the spread of terrorism from extremist groups.

A number of high tech bomb making virtual online schools have been traced to Malaysia and the government there has been attempting to counter with mainstream Islamic schools and websites to counter the violent propaganda of the extremists sects in the region.

Authorities in the region are increasingly alarmed over increased recruiting among disgruntled and anti-western younger highly educated Asian Muslims who see the war on terror as a clash of cultures or religion..

These Arrests also marks one of the few times Malaysian authorities have publicly discussed arrests or successes versus groups seen as linked to Jemaah Islamiah and Al Qaeda.

Malaysia's Sipadan resort kidnapping marked the entry of local extremists in the southern Philippines the Abu Sayyaf on the world stage when they kidnapped 22 people from a resort on the island between Malaysia and the Philippines in the Eastern Malaysian portion of Borneo Island.  

REPORT:

Malaysia Star  - Terror group busted

[]…  By WONG CHUN WAI and LOURDES CHARLES

KOTA KINABALU: A new terrorist group suspected of planning attacks on several neighbouring countries has been

Journalist Killings: Global trend noted ‘Bullets of rebutal” silencing many scribes arcoss the world

Global problem? : Journalist killings on the rise says conference hundreds of reports from all over the globe are showing this alarming condition- while the philippines remains in the top of the list increasingly jounrnalist welfare groups are noting a marked increase in violence versus Journalists ranging from beatings to killings to attacks on media offices in a wave of attacks across the world.

Suspects include crime syndicates, political reprisals, government death squads, rebel groups even tough competition in some places.

" 146 journalists had been killed doing their job last year, 48 in Iraq…." IPI report 
While the cases here in the Philippines grab our headlines – with five this year so far- this censorship by gunfire is slowy rising in many places across the globe making journalism in troublespots a dangerous life indeed.

REPORT:

Murder 'is the cheapest form of censorship' cotsman, United Kingdom - The conference heard journalists were being targeted in countries such as the Philippines, Colombia and Haiti.

Indonesia Earthquake: US deploys team but keeps hospital ship on Philippine Mission for now

USNS MERCY to remain on Philippines humanitarian mission

U.S. Military Personnel Deploying to Indonesia with Medical Aid

Contingent part of larger, coordinated U.S. response, Pacific Command says

The U.S. military is sending medical personnel, equipment and supplies to Indonesia to assist the victims of the May 27 earthquake, the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), headquartered in Hawaii, announced May 28.

"The deployment is part of a larger U.S. government response to a request from the government of Indonesia for humanitarian assistance" being coordinated through the departments of State and Defense, according to PACOM.

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck at 5:54 a.m. local time near the city of Yogyakarta, which is 400 kilometers east of Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital. The densely populated city is a popular tourist attraction.

In the wake of the disaster, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged U.S. assistance with response and recovery efforts. (See related article.)

On May 29, the official death toll reached 5,136, and UNICEF estimated the quake had left 20,000 injured and more than 130,000 homeless. The earthquake also badly damaged power facilities and deprived tens of thousands of electricity – making delivery of aid to a disaster area spread over hundreds of square kilometers difficult. However, the U.N. World Food Programme announced May 28 that three trucks carrying enough high-energy biscuits to feed 20,000 people for a week had arrived in the districts of Bantul and Klaten.

Approximately 100 U.S. military personnel, drawn from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, U.S. Pacific Air Force units in Guam and the USNS Mercy are bringing surgical, shock/trauma, laboratory, dental and X-ray equipment as well as preventive medicine expertise to the earthquake-ravaged area of Indonesia, according to PACOM.

The Mercy, a U.S. Navy hospital ship, currently is operating in the Philippines as part of a five-month medical deployment to Southeast Asia and Western Pacific countries. PACOM said the deployment of some Mercy personnel to Indonesia "will not impact her ability to continue the mission in the Philippines." (See related article.)

Report:US troops fire on civilians in Afghan capital, several dead

Details in but all event reporting on the scene show a tragic level of errors after traffic accident. Fear of sucide bombers and force protection rules blamed as part of the problem….

[]… 'Some killed' at Afghan protest over US traffic accident... []

[]…"The American convoy hit all the vehicles which were in their way. They didn't care about the civilians at all," said Mohammad Wali, 21, a shopkeeper who said he saw several dead bodies…." gunfire Breaks Out After Kabul Accident Houston Chronicle …[]

[]…. A convoy of U.S. military vehicles was driving from Bagram air base, the main American military facility north of Kabul, when it plowed into cars on the main highway about two miles outside the Afghan capital, police said.
US Troops Fire on Crowd in Kabul After Crash, Riots Los Angeles Times ….[]

And the best reporting coming from the scene which puts things in better perspective than the AP or LA reports.

[]… Al JEEZ..

US and Afghan forces fired on protesters in the Afghan capital after a riot erupted on Monday because of a traffic accident involving US troops, police and eyewitnesses said.Three people were killed in the accident, and a fourth was killed by gunfire, they said.Aljazeera's correspondent in the capital, Kabul, said at least 20 were killed or wounded. An Aljazeera cameraman was injured in the riot. …[]

The Al Jazeera report all three items are breaking news from the region most of the 225 stories did not bothr to show the progression from traffic accident to riot – but mearly reported many dead. Mind you the reports are all on the same thing but – al jeez- did gt it right. Per my friends assigned in Kabul working in media.

Left-Right-Left: Killing spree continues in ‘Dangerous Islands’

Reports of mass killings and targeted assassinations continue to rise in these wonderful but dangerous islands I call home… The reports continue to raise concerns because of the spiraling level of violence.

Over this weekend since Friday a half dozen have been shot in targeted killings or hits. On Friday until Sunday on all sides… the number of these strange killings has hit seven.

The attacks: normally involve small targeted hit teams of three or four and quick rapid assassination a shout of the organizations name then the killers disappear into the woodwork or streets from whence they came often on motorcycles. One group on the left a moderate leftist organization Bayan Muna has had 95 of its members killed. 

 But since January-  the spiraling killings continue in one report I saw a tally figure of 71  'government workers or employees people in the service of Government' all victims of targeted assassinations by 'hit squads'.

On the other militant sector side the figures range from 97 to 600 depending on whose figures one views – the 600 figure covers a period from 2001 while the 97 figure is from January.

 REPORTS: Mass graves claimed, debunked, clarified, and, denounced

[]… THE military has unearthed more atrocities committed by New People’s Army rebels in the countryside, the latest of which were the mass execution of rebels and civilians alike, the recruitment of child warriors and the abduction and rape of a teenager by a rebel commander…..[]  Indy Media.be

[]… During a press conference held in Bukidnon, Zubiri said Gonzales is "peddling lies in the national media" concerning the presence of the graves, which supposedly contain the remains of suspected informers of the military killed by New People's Army (NPA) rebels….[] Sun Star 

[]…. SO WHERE are the mass graves? An Army commander yesterday said there were no mass graves in Bukidnon province as earlier claimed by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales. “We did not use mass graves or killing fields to describe Bukidnon (in the report) but we stand by our statement that there were 21 documented killings over a period of five years,” stressed Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Madrigal, commander of the 26th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division. ….[] INQ7.net

An example of victims from the last 24 hours – a policeman in Jolo shot and killed by members of the ASG it is claimed and a leftist leader  – former rebel killed in another part of the country both families are grieving – both men are Filipino– both are victims of assassins.  

[]… Ex-Red leader gunned down
First posted 11:12am (Mla time) May 29, 2006
TABACO CITY — (2nd UPDATE) A former communist insurgent leader was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne gunmen in in Barangay Tagas here at 8:30 Monday morning, a police official said.
FULL STORY …[]   Inq7.net

[]…. Cop killed in another Jolo attack
Sun.Star, Philippines - 11 hours ago
ZAMBOANGA CITY — A Muslim policeman was shot dead Sunday by an unidentified gunman in the troubled island of Jolo in the southern Philippines, …[] Sun Star

 On the left side of Government and the NGO sector over the weekend there has been reports or claims that three or four members of the Presidents cabinet in the view of the gruops are accused as beng behind alleged 'death squads'.

 []…. MANILA – Military officials said  they have taken "appropriate security measures" for four Cabinet officials who are reportedly targets of assassination by a group of "conspirators."  …[]

 []…  The leftist organization Bayan Muna on Sunday named three Cabinet officials as the masterminds of the incidents of militant killings in the country. In a radio interview Robert de Ocampo, Bayan Muna deputy secretary-general, said Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita were behind the murders. The three are members of the Cabinet’s security cluster. ….[] Manila times -ABS-CBNNews.com

The Military and Police has increased security around these individuals to make sure the announcement does not draw specific reprisals versus the four mentioned in the press conference of the left wing groups.

It continues to not be seen in these reports the increasing number of individuals killed in a spree of rising violence and how all these killings has overwhelmed investigation teams from Police who are dealing with a rising number of killings also ongoing are criminal and political groups using the entire issue as a cover for the activities that otherwise might just be lumped into the pile of this growing civil war of assassination and hit men.

Indonesia Bird Flu: 34 dead by Avian Flu Alert raised anew

Aside from the desvastation of the Earthquake with 3,300 dead- the Indonesian Government has reported to WHO the 34th death linked to the avian flu in that country.

Meanwhile reports are that the WHO has issued an alert for the maker of Tamilflu the only known drug to cure or contain the virus to be on alert – there are fears that the virus is spreading.

Also in the wake of the earthquake WHO teams are monitoring evacuation centers and warning authorities to check into any possible entry into the devastaed area.

[] CTV Canada …  The World Health Organization told the maker of the anti-bird flu drug Tamiflu to ready its global stockpile for shipment, after the deadly virus passed among several Indonesians in the same family, officials said Saturday.  …[][]… WHO confirms 34th Indonesian bird flu death …JAKARTA – A 10-year-old Indonesian girl …[] ABS-CBNNEws.com

23 May 2006
Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 14
Full text

19 May 2006
Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 13
Full text

19 May 2006
WHO Rapid Advice Guidelines on pharmacological management of humans infected with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus
Full text

:: Human avian influenza in Azerbaijan, February–March 2006
May 2006

:: Review of latest available evidence on risks to human health through potential transmission of avian influenza (H5N1) through water and sewage
April 2006

:: WHO pandemic influenza draft protocol for rapid response and containment
17 March 2006

:: Avian influenza: significance of mutations in the H5N1 virus
20 February 2006

:: WHO Outbreak communication guidelines

:: Outbreak Communication: Best practices for communicating with the public during an outbreak