MILF COMMANDER SAMIR DENIES LINKS TO JI, PLEDGES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002242

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/PMBS, INR/EAP, S/CT, USIP - SOLOMON
NSC FOR GREEN
SEOUL FOR ERIC JOHN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2015
TAGS: PTER RP
SUBJECT: MILF COMMANDER SAMIR DENIES LINKS TO JI, PLEDGES
COOPERATION

REF: A. MANILA 1898

B. MANILA 1470

Classified By: Political Officer Joseph Saus
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. MILF Base Commander Hadji Samir Hashim, in
a recent letter, has denied all links to Jemaah Islamiyah
(JI),and pledged to locate, arrest, and turn over to
authorities any JI operatives in his area of responsibility.
Given what we believe to know about Samir's past connections
with JI operatives, which led Embassy to recommend his
designation by the USG as a foreign terrorist (reftels),this
profession is disingenuous but may indicate also that he is
reconsidering his links to the JI. We will follow up with
his nephew (one of the candidates in the ARMM gubernatorial
race) should new evidence of his complicity arise. End
Summary.


2. (SBU) During a May 3 meeting with Datu Ibrahim "Toto"
Paglas -- a close Embassy contact and candidate in the
upcoming August 2005 race for governor of the Autonomous
Region In Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) -- Ambassador emphasized
that Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders and
military base commanders had to break any and all ties with,
support for, and tolerance of suspected terrorists within
their operating areas. Ambassador cited two suspect base
commanders -- Ameril Kato and Samir Hashim (reftels). (Note:
Samir Hashim and his brother -- the late Moro Islamic
Liberation Front Chairman Salamat -- are Paglas' uncles. End
Note.)


3. (SBU) Paglas expressed doubt that his uncle had any such
ties, but promised the Ambassador he would contact Samir
directly. On May 10, Paglas' intermediary provided poloff a
letter, apparently signed by Samir but not dated, written in
Maguindanaoan and accompanied by an informal English
translation (text in para 5). Notably, Samir claimed that
there were no Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) operatives within his
Base Command, and pledged that, if he discovered any, he
would turn them over to "the appropriate authorities."


4. (C) Comment: The body of evidence suggests that Samir is
disingenuous in his claim of no past or current ties with the
JI. However, he may be reaching a point where he, like his
late brother, is ready to make a choice toward peace and
against terrorism, and the threat of designation as a foreign
terrorist may be helping in making the right choice, along
with pressure from his nephew, who very much wants to win the
ARMM election. We should be ready to follow up should new
evidence of complicity arise. Embassy will also attempt to
discover any new signs of cooperation through the GRP-MILF Ad
Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) -- recently operationalized to
jointly investigate and intercept suspected terrorist and
criminal elements. End comment


5. (SBU) Informal English text:

quote

Moro Islamic Liberation Front
Headquarters
National Guard Base Command
Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces
Camp Abubakar As-Siddique

In the name of our group, the National Guard Base Command,
Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, I want to assure all concern
(sic) that we have not and we will never be a friend of the
Jamaa Islamia, nor provide them sanctuary within our area of
responsibility.

The reason of this stand is we do not know why this group are
here, if they are indeed here in our area and what they are
fighting for. Moreover, I do not understand or speak Arabic
or English languages.

Our Group also intensely dislike these people (Jamaa Islamia)
because we believed that there (sic) presence could cause
serious troubles among the peace loving Bangsamoro people.
Because of this fear, we will drive them away or prevent them
from entering our area, including their local sympathizers,
if there are any.

And finally, if there are members or sympathizers of Jamaa
Islamia hiding in our area of responsibility, then we commit
and pledge in locating them, arrest them and turn them over
to the appropriate authorities.

Sukran and Wassalam. (Thank you and greetings.)

(Signed)
Hadji Samir Hashim, Base Commander

End quote
MUSSOMELI