Malaysia dismisses report

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, OCT. 11. The Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said today that his Government did not attach much importance to a New York Times report that terrorists linked to the Al-Qaeda outfit in Malaysia would be targeted in future by the United States.

In Manila, the Philippines National Security Adviser, Mr. Rolio Golez, ``dismissed'' the newspaper report, which said that Washington was likely to target terrorists tied to the Al- Qaeda in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Mr. Badawi was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency that his Government did not attach much importance to the Times report as it merely quoted an official. The Deputy Prime Minister said that if the report was correct then the United States must disclose this information to Malaysia.

``I hope that if there is anything undesirable which they (the U.S.) feel will threaten their interests here or the interests of others or that of our own Government, they will not hesitate to inform us,'' he said in Kuala Lumpur. This, Mr. Badawi said, would allow Malaysia to exchange information with the U.S. to take action against these terrorists.

In Manila, Mr. Rolio Golez stated that a team of American military advisers headed by a General would arrive in the next few weeks to help local troops address the problem of terrorism. He said the U.S. team would discuss with Filipino officials the possibilities of help in planning, training and adjusting their programmes to tackle international terrorist problems. The obvious target in the Philippines is the Abu Sayyaf group, which in the recent past has taunted the United States to take action against it. Foreign nationals, including Americans, have been targeted by this group which reportedly also has links to Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda movement. There is little doubt that Islamist extremism is a problem in Malaysia, the Philippines as well as Indonesia.

However, the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Government in the Philippines has been unable to militarily tackle the Abu Sayyaf, whose terrorists have given the slip to the military twice in recent months.

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Section  : International
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