MEETING WITH MILF CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 005372

SIPDIS

NOFORN

STATE FOR S/CT, INR/EAP, EAP, AND EAP/MTS
STATE ALSO FOR DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/DO, AND DS/ICI/RFJ
SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP FOR ALLEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2015
TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC PINS MOPS EAID KCRM RP
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH MILF CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Classified By: (U) Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Paul W. Jones
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C/NF) Summary. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
leaders received a strong message on November
15 from emboffs that the MILF must permanently cut all
contacts with terrorist organizations. MILF Vice Chairman
for Political Affairs Ghazali Jafaar claimed the MILF
remained fully committed to the peace process and promised to
brief the MILF Central Committee on US concerns about
terrorist safe havens and training in MILF areas. The next
step is up to the MILF to demonstrate its will to cut these
institutional and/or personal ties with terrorists. End
Summary.

CLEAR MESSAGE: CUT MILF TIES WITH TERRORISTS
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2. (C/NF) Poloffs and RSO met for the first time with MILF
Vice Chairman for Political Affairs Ghazali Jafaar on
November 15 at the MILF's Peace Negotiations Headquarters in
Sultan Kudurat City, Maguindanao Province, Mindanao.
Present with Jafaar were MILF Central Committee members Jun
Mantawil, Bobby Mulana Alonto, Muhammad Ameen, and Khalifa
Nando. After expressing USG support for the GRP-MILF peace
process under the sponsorship of the Government of Malaysia
and readiness to extend development assistance to the MILF in
the event of a final peace agreement, emboffs delivered a
strong message to Jafaar that all elements of the MILF must
permanently cut all contacts with terrorist organizations,
including training activities. They also advised Jafaar to
work closely with the GRP through the Ad Hoc Joint Action
Group to bring Khadaffy Janjalani, Dulmatin, Umar Patek, and
other wanted terrorists to justice.

KJ AND HAPILON DEAD?!?
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3. (C/NF) Jafaar -- who welcomed the opening of a direct
dialogue with the Embassy -- asserted that the MILF has been
complying with the provisions of its cease-fire agreement
with the GRP. As evidence, Jafaar cited the MILF's temporary
withdrawal from positions in Maguindanao during July and
August to facilitate the pursuit of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
leaders by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Jafaar
claimed to have received "credible information" that Khadaffy
Janjalani and Isnilon Hapilon were "neutralized" during this
operation, leaving Abu Solaiman as the only ASG leader at
large. Jafaar pointed to a recent press interview with
Janjalani's mother in Basilan in which she claimed her son
was dead. Jafaar conceded, however, that the MILF lacked
hard evidence to confirm the deaths of either Janjalani and
Hapilon. (Note: Emboffs reacted skeptically to the claim.
According to reliable sources, Khadaffy Janjalani and Isnilon
Hapilon both remain alive and at large. End note.)


4. (C/NF) When Jafaar contended to have no knowledge of the
current whereabouts of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members Dulmatin
and Umar Patek, emboffs informed him that the USG had
reliable information that JI operatives continued to operate
and conduct training in MILF-controlled areas. Jafaar
pledged that the MILF leadership would not do anything to
jeopardize peace negotiations, since a peace agreement for
the Moro people finally appeared to be at hand.

PLEDGE TO BRIEF CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON U.S. CONCERNS
-------------- --------------


5. (C/NF) Emboffs informed Jafaar of the multi-million
dollar rewards currently being offered for Janjalani,
Solaiman, Hapilon, Dulmatin, and Patek under the US Rewards
for Justice Program, emphasizing the importance the USG
placed upon seeing the MILF take concrete action against
terrorists in its areas. Jafaar noted our points, saying the
MILF did not want any "hindrances" to the peace process. He
said he "understood the seriousness" of US concerns and
pledged to brief the full MILF Central Committee on our
demarche.

TALKS WITH COTABATO MAYOR AND IMT HEAD
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6. (C/NF) In separate meetings on November 16, Emboffs also
raised US concerns about the presence of terrorists in MILF
areas with Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema and
International Monitoring Team (IMT) Commander MG Dato
Pahlawan Soheimi Bin Abbas. Sema, who claimed one of his
informants had identified a JI/ASG safe house in the
Linguasan Marsh for the AFP during an anti-terrorism
operation earlier this year, pledged to work closely with
Philippine and US officials to track any terrorists moving
through Cotabato City. MG Soheimi noted that, while the ASG
fell outside his official purview, he had in meetings with
individual MILF commanders urged them to cut any ties with
and support for terrorist organizations.

COMMENT
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7. (C/NF) While this first meeting with MILF leaders was
cordial, their lack of candor about the presence of Janjalani
and other terrorists in MILF areas was disappointing.
Nonetheless, Jafaar should now understand more fully the
unambiguous nature of US concerns and requests to sever its
links -- institutional or personal -- with terrorists. The
next step is up to the MILF leadership to demonstrate clearly
it is doing so, especially by reining in its field commanders
(e.g., Wahid Tundok and Umbril Kato) who have maintained such
links.
.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
Jones