Arrests link al Qaeda to Philippines

The MNLF rebels have traded their hostages for trucks

MANILA, Philippines -- The two Palestinians and a Jordanian national arrested in the Philippines last week were found to have been recruiting for Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, the Philippine military has confirmed.

The three men were arrested last Friday in simultaneous raids in the capital of Manila and the southern province of Mindanao by the combined efforts of police, soldiers, and immigration agents under a newly formed anti-terrorism task force.

Officials seized two pistols and bomb-making components, including blasting caps, time fuses and detonation cords from Mohammad Sabri Selamah, 35, a Palestinian carrying Iraqi documents; Ahmad Abd Bin Masria, 32, a Palestinian carrying a Lebanese passport; and Hussam al Ddeen Hasan Ali, 36, a Jordanian.

"The arrested foreign nationals are believed to have established a network in the country believed to be part of a support system with suspected linkages to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network," the military said in a statement on Wednesday.

The military said each of the Palestinians had used aliases -- Mohammad Sabre and Mohammad El Gabry for Selamah; and Masrie Ahman Abed, Ahman Abid Bin Masre and Akmad Masria for Masria.

It said the three also allegedly helped suspected terrorists obtain fake travel documents, as altered and fake passports were also seized from the three men.

The three men allegedly were seen recruiting from the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group, the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the statement said.

These groups are waging a war for an independent Islamic state in the Southern Philippines, although the government dismissed the Abu Sayyaf as a bandit group which lives off on kidnap-for-ransom activities.

The group is holding missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham of Kansas in the U.S.

The United States believes the group has strong links with bin Laden and his network.

The men were charged with violating Philippine immigration rules and illegal possession of firearms and explosives, which is punishable by up to 12 years in prison.

Last week, Philippine authorities were tight-lipped over their arrests, apparently to prevent spoiling their investigations.

Secessionist groups

Malaysia will send Misuari back to Manila

The military last week said about 80 soldiers, backed by two armored personnel carriers, surrounded Selamah's house in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao province, about 870 kilometers (540 miles) southeast of Manila.

Selamah, married to a Muslim Filipina, has taught since 1998 at the Islamic Koranic Memorization Center in the village of Simuay, near an MILF camp.

The MILF is currently holding peace talks with the government.

However, the MNLF, once the largest Islamic secessionist group in the country, have recently reneged on a 1996 peace treaty it signed with the government and have waged a war against government troops in the South.

The group had abducted hundreds of civilians Tuesday and used them as human shields.

The civilians were eventually released unharmed Wednesday, in exchange for the rebels' escape.

The rebels were making a last stand in support of their embattled leader Nur Misuari.

Misuari, a rengage governor, was arrested in Malaysia last week for illegal entry. He is set to be deported to Manila to face charges of rebellion.

Philippine Authorities credit the arrests to their efforts to crush terrorism following the September 11 attacks in the United States.

They have cooperated with U.S. investigators in locating suspected al-Qaeda members, including scrutinizing lists of foreign graduates of local flight schools.