OCTOBER 27 UPDATE ON JOLO OPERATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 004508 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, PM, S/CT, AND EAP/MTS USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (LAWLESS/TOOLAN/BAILEY) JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2031 TAGS: PREL PINS PTER MOPS RP SUBJECT: OCTOBER 27 UPDATE ON JOLO OPERATIONS REF: MANILA 4439 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: (U) Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Scott Bellard for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C/REL AUS) "Operation Ultimatum," the ongoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) effort to capture or kill the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leadership on the island of Jolo, is ending its 13th week, with no sign of letting up. ASG leaders Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Solaiman, and JI operatives Dulmatin and Umar Patek are believed to have moved to the southeast corner of the island in an effort to escape AFP pressure. Philippine Marines, Scout Rangers, and Special Forces raided the terrorists' suspected location on October 26, but failed to find the fugitives. The AFP is planning follow-up operations against other possible targets. ¶2. (C/REL AUS) The Philippine Navy, supported by US forces, continues its impressive blockade of Jolo, having conducted 2975 maritime interdictions since the August 1 start of the operation. Naval assets have been shifted to the southeast to prevent any potential escape attempt by sea. ¶3. (C/REL AUS) The most significant event this week was the October 20 surrender of three low-level ASG operatives in the Patikul region of central Jolo. The three operatives had deserted the group protecting Khadaffy Janjalani and turned themselves in to the AFP. Exhausted and malnourished, the men complained that they had been misled and deserted by their leadership. When informed of the US rewards offered for the capture of the senior terrorists, the three ASG captives said they would have turned in Janjalani and the others if they had known of the program. ¶4. (C/REL AUS) The AFP has already begun redistributing Rewards for Justice leaflets in all known ASG base camp locations and along suspected ASG lines of communication. The AFP is also circulating rewards material in civilian areas where the JI and ASG leaders are believed to have support or be hiding. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm KENNEY