ABU SAYYAF CONVICTIONS UNDERSCORE DETERMINATION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 003947 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2017 TAGS: KJUS MOPS PINS PTER RP SUBJECT: ABU SAYYAF CONVICTIONS UNDERSCORE DETERMINATION TO FIGHT TERRORISM REF: A. 3693 (SECURITY FORCES TAKE OUT TERRORISTS) ¶B. 3522 (SPECIAL OPS COMMAND SHOWCASES CAPABILITIES) ¶C. 3266 (POSITIVE CHANGES IN ARMED FORCES LEADERSHIP) ¶D. 2828 (MEASURED RESPONSE HELPING PEACE PROCESS) Classified By: Amb. Kristie A. Kenney, reasons 1.4 b, d. ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: A Philippine judge handed out multiple life sentences this month to 14 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members convicted of kidnapping 20 persons, including U.S. citizens Gracia and Martin Burnham and Guillermo Sobero, from a resort in May 2001. The decision underscored the government's growing determination -- and capability -- to combat terrorism on various fronts using the police and military, the judicial system, peace negotiations and, increasingly, development assistance. Far more than a legal footnote, the decision is another important step forward in the battle against terrorism in the Philippines. Working closely with the U.S. and other governments, the Philippine security forces have adopted the sophisticated use of many tools and scored major successes against the ASG and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror groups in the six years since the Burnham kidnapping -- successes that have shifted the landscape concretely in favor of the Philippine government. With seven key terrorist leaders and over 200 other terrorists captured or killed by Philippine forces since August 2006 alone, the Philippine government has decimated the leadership of the ASG and JI. Despite continued threats and some setbacks, security forces are using their capabilities in a coordinated fashion. Most recently, a December 15 joint Philippine Navy and Marine operation on Tawi Tawi killed senior Abu Sayyaf leader Mubin Abdurajak. Although fighting between government forces and terrorist elements continues in the Sulu archipelago, the combination of military reform, carefully targeted and modulated security actions, civil-military operations, infrastructure development, and a steady commitment to peace talks with Muslim insurgent groups has created an atmosphere in which it is increasingly difficult for ASG and JI operatives to find cover. END SUMMARY. -------------- PHILIPPINE JUDICIARY SENDS A MESSAGE -------------- ¶2. (C) On December 6, 2007, a Philippine judge sentenced 14 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members convicted in the May 2001 kidnapping of 20 persons from the Palawan Dos Palmas resort to 20 life sentences each (the Philippines abolished the death penalty in 2006). Additionally, for U.S. missionariesQGraQa and Martin Burnham, the judge approved compensatory damages of approximately USD 160,000 and USD 270,000 respectively. While it is unlikely the awards will be paid, the amount of the damages, which are extremely large by Philippine standards, underscores the weight the judge gave to the case. The Burnhams were kidnapped by ASG members while vacationing at the resort, with Martin Burnham being killed in the subsequent 2002 rescue attempt. U.S. citizen Guillermo Sobero was beheaded by the ASG during his detention. The sentences, considered exceptionally harsh by Philippine standards, came at the end of a four-year trial, with some of the kidnappers convicted and sentenced in absentia. Six years after the kidnapping, the court's decision was highlighted by the government as a signal that terrorists will be punished for their acts. According to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Chairman of the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council, 39 terrorists have been convicted in the Philippines since 2003, the highest number in the world. -------------- STEADY PROGRESS IN NEUTRALIZING TERRORISTS -------------- ¶3. (C) When the Burnhams were kidnapped in 2001, the Philippine military was mired in a mindset that responded to terrorist threats in a disjointed fashion and hampered the ability of the security forces to conduct effective combat operations. Following a request by Philippine President Gloria Arroyo to President Bush in 2001, U.S. Joint Task Force 510, the predecessor to Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, was established in Mindanao and began to work "by, with, and through" the Philippine armed forces to identify, disrupt, and neutralize terrorists from the ASG and Jemaah Islamiyah. The continuing presence of U.S. special forces advisors, along with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago significantly has improved the combat readiness and effectiveness of the MANILA 00003947 002 OF 003 Philippine forces (ref B). In the last 16 months alone, and acting frequently on information supplied by the U.S. and other allies, Philippine security forces have killed or captured seven key ASG leaders, including Khadaffy Janjalani, Abu Sulaiman, Ismin Sahiron, and Abu Jandal. More than 200 ASG fighters have been killed or captured in the same period. Since 2002, the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council states that 486 ASG members have been captured and 446 killed. This success is reflected in greater security for public officials in the Sulu Archipelago -- although nine government officials were killed in 2007, it is a dramatic reduction from the 196 killed in the previous six years. ¶4. (C) This success of the Philippine military in the Sulu Archipelago may be forcing terrorist groups into alliances that blur the lines of identity and allegiance between some criminal and terrorist organizations -- alliances that require better coordination between Philippine police and military units. In the aftermath of the bombing assassination of Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar in Manila, an attack that Philippine security experts describe as a local political grudge being settled in the capital, ASG operatives and other criminal and political elements were implicated in the plot. During a lightning-quick operation, Philippine police and military elements cooperated seamlessly to corner the bombers in Manila (ref A),resulting in the capture of two suspects and the killing of two ASG members, including Basilan sub-commander Abu Jandal. ¶5. (C) Such coordination between security forces was largely unknown just three years ago, but firm political directives from President Arroyo on down to integrate law enforcement and military capabilities coupled with the appointment of senior security officials who believe in putting aside turf battles to achieve successes against terrorists, appear to be paying dividends (ref C). In a separate incident, Philippine police and military efforts disrupted an ASG cell operating in Palawan that had planned to bomb targets in Puerto Princesa in September 2007 and resulted in the arrest of all seven Abu Sayyaf members involved with no casualties. Most recently, a December 15 joint interagency operation involving Philippine forces killed senior ASG leader Mobin Abdurajak (a.k.a. Abdulmubin Sakandal) in a raid on Tawi Tawi island. Sakandal was wanted by U.S. and Philippine authorities for his role in the kidnapping of 21 people from a resort in Sipadan, Malaysia, in 2000. Both Philippine and U.S. authorities had offered a reward for information leading to his capture. -------------- COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH KEY -------------- ¶6. (C) Fighting between government forces and terrorist elements continues in the Sulu archipelago -- 55 Philippine troops have been killed in 2007 -- but Philippine forces have shown increased discipline in the face of adversity. When 10 Philippine Marines were beheaded in July 2007 following a firefight with the Abu Sayyaf on Basilan island, many feared a campaign of reprisal with little regard for civilian casualties would ensue (ref A). Instead, the armed forces conducted a series of modulated offensives that targeted terrorists involved in the atrocity but largely spared civilians from the fighting. This restrained response in combination with civil-military activities, infrastructure development, and a steady commitment to a peace agreement with Muslim insurgent groups has made it increasingly difficult for Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah members to operate and is hindering terrorist recruitment. ¶7. (C) At the same time, in a clear acknowledgement of the success of U.S. military and USAID assistance programs, the government has put new emphasis on humanitarian assistance and established the National Development Support Command in October (septel),a functional unit that will implement civil-military operations throughout the Philippines as part of the government's more sophisticated approach to fighting terrorism. Meanwhile, increased security in strife-torn Mindanao has allowed the Philippine government more flexibility in pursuing a peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),Muslim separatists who have been engaged in a bloody struggle against the government. In Central Mindanao, for example, there have been no armed engagements between the Philippine government and MILF forces since June 2007, a development MILF officials attribute to the increased use of "soft power" by the military and a greater sensitivity to the impact military operations may have on the peace process. MANILA 00003947 003 OF 003 ¶8. (C) COMMENT: The Philippines has made important progress in the War on Terror, thanks in large part to sustained and proactive U.S. involvement. Still, the Philippine government has ground to cover in its fight to eliminate terrorism and restore peace and security to Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. Public security remains a challenge in that region -- in 2007, 140 bombings occurred throughout the country, which Philippine police categorized as a mixture of terrorism, extortion, clan violence, and political attacks. Despite extensive U.S involvement and assistance, allegations of corruption and mismanagement continue to plague the military, and the Philippine forces periodically suffer high losses in combat with the ASG. Nevertheless, continuing U.S. visibility in the form of visits by the Ambassador, DCM, and high-ranking outside visitors, along with the long-term presence of JUSMAG, JSOTF-P, USAID, and other U.S. agencies is demonstrating the U.S. government's confidence in the Philippine approach. The increased "jointness" of Philippine operations, a national commitment to implement President Arroyo's "humanitarian offensive" to mitigate the conditions that breed terrorism, and the realization that all roads should lead to a durable peace are signs that a perceptible shift has occurred in the Philippine philosophy to counterterrorism activities in the last six years. We have witnessed tangible, meaningful change in the Philippine resolve to restore peace and order to the country. The challenge will be sustaining the momentum. END COMMENT. KENNEY