From Seattle writer and consultant Matt Rosenberg...: Washington Post Downplays Links Between Abu Sayyaf And Islam

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Washington Post Downplays Links Between Abu Sayyaf And Islam

March 30, 2004

England, Uzbekistan, The Phillipines: a lousy day today for terrorists. Yet in this round-up, The Washington Post makes a lame attempt to disassociate the Abu Sayyaf figures arrested in The Philippines from Islamic extremism.

The Abu Sayyaf once had a loose connection to al Qaeda, but the group has become known mainly as a small, hard-core bandit outfit specializing in kidnapping for ransom.

Nowhere else in this story is there any discussion of Abu Sayyaf and Islam.

The Post's approach is quite disingenuous. The issue is not merely Abu Sayyaf's connection with al-Qaeda, but with Islamic extremism. That does not begin and end with al-Qaeda, although in fact there are links between the groups.

Some background on Abu Sayyaf here, via those lathered-up conservative wing-nuts at The BBC. (Italicized, parenthetical remarks are mine).

.....The founder of Abu Sayyaf - Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani - was an Islamic scholar. ....Abu Sayyaf is the most militant of the anti-Manila groups and wants an independent Islamic state in Mindanao....(Gee, no connection with Islam there, huh?)
The Philippines Government says Abu Sayyaf has been trying to evict Christians from its Basilan Island base. (Nah, still doesn't sound like Islamic extremists to me...)

Hostage-taking is the latest in a series of (Abu Sayyaf) actions which began in the early 1990s with a spate of bombings, assassinations and kidnappings of priests and businessmen. .....In December 1994, the group bombed a Philippines Airlines plane on a flight from Manila to Tokyo, killing one passenger. But most of its activities have centred on southern Mindanao. An attack on the town of Ipil in 1995 left 50 people dead, and a grenade attack on a department store in Zamboanga in 1998 injured 60.

Analysts say such attacks show the group - which is believed to have a core membership of around 200 - is trying to spark a religious war. (Gosh, what's that got to do with Islamic extremism?)

....As well as suspecting links with the mastermind behind the US World Trade Centre bombing, Ramzi Youssef, Manila believes it is connected to the man who tops America's most-wanted list, Osama bin Laden. Analysts say that Abu Sayyaf has received arms and munitions from Afghanistan.

Unlike The Washington Post, other major publications today had no trouble telling the truth about Abu Sayyaf's Islamist nature.

The International Herald Tribune says Abu Sayyaf is "an Islamic terrorist group."

The Toronto Star: "...the brutal, Al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf group...."

The Abu Sayyaf Islamic terrorists arrested today had 80 pounds of TNT. They were planning bombings of shopping centers and more trains in metro Manila, according to Philippines President Gloria Arroyo.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at March 30, 2004 03:18 PM

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� Philippines Bomb Plot 'Thwarted' from Cranial Cavity
As reported by BBC News Asia “Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said forces had seized explosives which were to have been used to bomb trains and shopping centres in the capital, Manila. Several people have been arrested in connection with the plot,... [Read More]

Tracked on March 31, 2004 03:46 PM

Comments:

Well, I think it is finally here. The last 30 seconds of the Islamic fireworks display is occurring throughout the world. With the death of the wheel-chaired Satan, Yassin, islamic crazies realize that the world will never bow as one to allah and be submissive to islam. All these mass homicide bombings happening internationally are just a last desperate attempt to put the fear of allah into infidels by blood shed once again in the name of the religion of peace. What these freaks don�t realize is no one cares that they have made themselves slaves to the death cult, islam. They can threaten us all they want with their silly islamic �heads are gonna roll� escapades because all it is�is one ugly light show with an ending that has fewer islamo-facists in the world.

Posted by: Naarski at March 30, 2004 05:35 PM

I'm afraid much of writing in the US media will deliberately and only connect terrorism with the name Al Qaeda. Unless Al Qaeda's imprint is all over the destruction and bloodshed, it's "nothing important here, let's move on." It's a convient way to continue to think of our battle as a law enforcement effort where the rules of evidence and the presumption of innocence are more important than our security. Since the media is unable to utter words such as alleged and suspect in the same sentence with Al Qaeda with a straight face, this is the prism the media use. Unfortunately, this effort only serves to misinform rather than illuminate.

Posted by: Gary B at March 30, 2004 05:50 PM

You nailed it, Matt! Oh, and that which is "italicized" and "paranthetical" provides more fun than CNBC's Dennis Miller - and hits the nail on the head. No al Qaeda here, no sir! And where has speculation about the source of ship-borne attack on west coast ports focused since, I dunno, 9/12 anyway? Is saying Mindanao a pc crime, or what? Love that hammer of yours...

Posted by: Pescado at March 30, 2004 06:49 PM

As an American (USN ret)living in the Philippines I would be very cautious with many of the reports on the Abu Sayyaf that originate here. This case is an example. As yet the authorities have not found any evidence showing damage from explosive devices in the ferry wreakage. Yet President Arroyo was quick to claim same and she atrtributed it to a confession by one of those arrested. I'll keep this short in this comment forum, but it is instructive to note she is in a VERY HEATED re-election campaign (i.e. 7 petitions an law suits for election disqualification)and her history shows she will do most anything to remain in power. My trackback explains more on this incident. Another excellant source is "The Sassy Lawyer in Philippine Suburbia" http://houseonahill.net

She has many posts outlining Arroyos corruption and tactics for re-election.

Posted by: marc at March 31, 2004 04:00 PM

Marc, I appreciate your comments, and it is a wise reminder indeed to not always buy in to the current government line, including what they may term terrorist arrestees.

I advocate following up, seeing what links are ascribed, and proven, in a court of law. I'm also leery of rushing to dismiss alleged terrorist ties. Al-Qaeda's brethren, spiritual or otherwise, ARE out there, world-wide, and we shouldn't minimize that. Even as debates rage over what's the U.S.'s best course. I think Bush's only failing here is not doing ENOUGH.

Following are a few of your comments - between , and my responses.

Marc

(Matt) The case I am talking about is mainly not the ferry case, which I concede is yet to be fully resolved, but the more recent arrest of Islamic terrorist Abu Sayyaf members with explosives, and according to the Philippines President, plans to bomb shoppping malls and trains.

Marc

(Matt)I will check out the site. All the same, government claims that terrorist arrestees have been engaged in some nefarious plot or another must bear the test of prosecutability, to use an awfully-constructed word. So let's see if those arrested in England and The Philippines, actually face charges, and are convicted. I'll be tracking it. Will you? Or will you tell me the judiciary is fixed against "terrorists" in The Philippines? I hope not, cuz I'll have a hard time buying that.

Posted by: Matt Rosenberg at March 31, 2004 05:55 PM

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