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Khadaffy Janjalani

Khadaffy Janjalani

Al Harakatul Al-Islamiyah

Southeast Asia

20040420

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Southeast Asia

Police arrest widow of Jemaah Islamiyah leader Marwan

2018-02-26

[RAPPLER] The widow of notorious Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader Marwan has been tossed in the clink Youse'll never take me alive coppers!... [BANG!]... Ow!... I quit! on Sunday, February 25, the Philippine National Police announced. Juromee Dongon was arrested by police operatives in an operation in Tubod, Lanao del Norte early Sunday morning. Dongon was married to a big shot of the notorious Abu Sayyaf ...also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya, an Islamist terror group based in Jolo, Basilan and Zamboanga. Since its inception in the early 1990s, the group has carried out bombings, kidnappings, murders, head choppings, and extortion in their uniquely Islamic attempt to set up an independent Moslem province in the Philippines. Abu Sayyaf forces probably number less than 300 cadres. The group is closely allied with remnants of Indonesia's Jemaah Islamiya and has loose ties with MILF and MNLF who sometimes provide cannon fodder... kidnap-for-ransom group, Khadaffy Janjalani. After his death in 2006 she married Malaysian bombmaker Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, who was killed in 2015 in the Philippines, police said. Aside from Dongon, arrested were her sister Lorilie Atta y Dongon and SPO4 Andy Atta, Lorilie's husband. Confiscated from the 3 were: One fragmentation grenade 6 blasting caps One blasting cap assembly One electric detonating cord One non-electric detonating cord One plastic container Two sling bags One 9mm Glock 17 pistol issued by the PNP 3 magazines for the Glock 17 pistol 37 live ammunition for the 9mm pistol "[Dongon] assists, associates, networks and supports terrorist groups," regional police front man Superintendent Lemuel Gonda told Agence La Belle France-Presse. "Juromee is linked with Abu Sayyaf during the time of Janjalani and then later Jemaah Islamiyah," he added, referring to a Southeast Asian bully boy group. Marwan was a leading member of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and a suspect in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people as well as in two deadly Philippine attacks. He died in a raid in the southern Philippines that also left 44 police commandos dead. The US had offered a $5 million bounty for him. Father of Romeo Dongon arrested In a separate operation, cops also arrested Romeo Dongon, alias "Faisal" at Sitio Tinago, San Juan, Baroy, Lanao del Norte, and found illegal firearms in his possession. Dongon's daughter Norein Dongon Santos was also arrested. Romeo Dongon is the father of Renierlo Dongon, who was the terrorist who had a love affair with a police official, Superintendent Cristina Nobleza. It can be recalled that Nobleza and Dongon were arrested back in April 2017, when the two attempted to evade capture during a police operation against the Abu Sayyaf in Bohol. (READ: Cop detained over alleged plot to rescue ASG in Bohol) The team was composed of operatives from the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Special Action Force, provincial and municipal cops. Cops seized the following from the house: One Colt MK1V .45 caliber pistol One magazine of caliber .45 bullets 3 pieces of caliber .45 cartridges One M61 fragmentation hand grenade One gray empty blasting cup One two-feet yellow detonating cord Cops also confiscated a Samsung tablet, a Lenovo laptop with a handbag case, a 4 mobile phones, and two electrical wires. Dongon family's terror links An exclusive report by Rappler's Maria Ressa back in April revealed that the Dongon family is no stranger to controversial terror-linked marriages. Zainab Dongon, another Dongon daughter, was the wife of Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan. Zainab had also married the brother of Abu Sayyaf founder Abdujarak Janjalani, Khadaffy Janjalani, who was killed by government forces. Another sister, Aminah, married Jainal Antel Sali, also known as Abu Solaiman. A 41-year-old civil engineer, he was Khadaffy Janjalani's deputy. Romeo Dongon's wife, Judith Dongon, was arrested with Renierlo and Nobleza in the April 2017 incident in Clarin, Bohol. Norein herself is apparently the wife of Ahmad Santos, the founder and leader of the Rajah Solaiman Movement until his arrest in 2005. They have been put under the custody of the CIDG, which handles high-level suspects and criminals.

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Southeast Asia

Court orders arrest of Abu Sayyaf 'hard-core mother'

2017-10-15

[Rappler] A court has issued an arrest warrant against the mother of a terrorist bomb expert, who, together with a female police official, had attempted to rescue Abu Sayyaf remnants that drifted to Bohol in April this year. Judith Dongon, mother of bomb expert Renierlo Dongon, faces charges of resistance and disobedience of an agent of a person in authority. Dongon, her son Renierlo, a 13-year-old son of Rajah Sulaiman Movement leader Ahmed Santos, and now dismissed Police Superintendent Maria Cristina Nobleza were arrested on April 22 in Clarin town, Bohol, on suspicions of attempting to rescue Abu Sayyaf stragglers. The four were intercepted at a checkpoint set up by the army and the police at the height of pursuit operations against the fleeing Abu Sayyaf rebels that tried to infiltrate Bohol. Police recovered bomb-making materials and blasting caps at their rented apartment in Panglao town. Dongon and Nobleza, considered "high-risk detainees," arrived in Bohol on Friday to face charges on illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Certain roads in the city were closed to commuters Friday as the court heard the case. SWAT operatives were deployed outside the court building. Earlier, PNP Director General Roland "Bato" Dela Rosa called Judith Dongon a "hard-core mother" due to her alleged ties with extremists. Judith's daughters had married slain Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan (who was killed in 2015), Abu Sayyaf founder Khadaffy Janjalani, Abu Sulayman al-Muhajir (believed to be a senior member of al-Qaeda's Al Nusra Front), and Santos. R. Dongon was the alleged culprit in the 2012 bombing in Cagayan de Oro City which killed four people, including two police officers. Dongon, who was once detained in Camp Crame, was later released by court due to "legal technicalities."

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Southeast Asia

Experts question incentives in Rewards for Justice program

2016-01-31

[Inquirer] The $5 million price tag for the capture, dead or alive, of Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, has caught the attention of experts in the aftermath of a tragic police operation to take him down in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, a year ago. How the bounty affected the overall conduct of the operation is not clear. However, a Jakarta-based think-tank has urged a rethinking of the role of rewards in the war on terror. As with other terrorists, the bounty for Marwan's capture was put up by the U.S. Rewards for Justice program. The program is credited for aiding in the downfall of key Abu Sayyaf leaders. As of 2012, intelligence firm Strategic Forecasting said, more than $11 million in bounties had been paid out in the Philippines by the program. The program's website listed as part of its success stories the capture of key Abu Sayyaf figures: Toting Craft Hanno, Khadaffy Janjalani (deceased), and Abu Solaiman and Hamsiraji Marusi Sali. It paid $100,000 for Hanno, $5 million for Janjalani, $5 million for Solaiman, and $1 million for Sali. In a report, the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, said,"The huge bounties placed on the heads of foreign jihadis have helped to burnish their reputations as world-class terrorists, perhaps out of proportion to their actual roles. They encourage killing high-value targets rather than making any effort to arrest them alive." In 2008, a Brussels-based think-tank warned about the distorting effect of monetary rewards in the drive against terrorists in the Philippines. In its report, the International Crisis Group noted that military informants "equate amount of bounty with the importance of the individual concerned." It cited the case of Jemaah Islamiyah operatives Umar Patek and Dulmatin. Dulmatin, who reports to Umar Patek, commanded $10 million in reward for his capture while his boss only fetched $1 million. The Rewards for Justice program now lists four terrorists in East Asia and the Pacific region whose capture merits its bounty. They are Isnilon Hapilon of Abu Sayyaf, up to $5 million; Radullan Sahiron of Abu Sayyaf, up to $1 million; and Indonesian Jemaah Islamiyah operative Aris Sumarsono alias Zulkarnaen or Daud, up to $5 million. Abdul Basit Usman of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, who was killed last year, is still on the list, with a reward of up to $1 million.

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Southeast Asia

$3.6m reward for 3 Filipino militants

2009-05-28

[Straits Times] THE United States on Tuesday offered up to US$2.5 million (S$3.6 million) in rewards for tips leading to the capture of three Filipinos suspected of belonging to the 'terrorist' Abu Sayyaf group. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly announced a reward of up to US$1 million for information leading to the 'location, arrest and/or conviction' of suspect Radullan Sahiron, described as a senior leader of the group. I thought he was dead? Or was that wishful thinking? He also announced a prize of up to US$1 million for Abdul Basit Usman, an alleged bomb maker, and another of up to US$500,000 for Khair Mundos, an alleged leader and financier of the group. Sahiron was listed as a key prize. 'Many innocent men, women and children have been killed or seriously injured as a result of Sahiron's actions,' the statement from Mr Kelly said. 'Sahiron played a role in the May 2001 Dos Palmas kidnapping of three US citizens and 17 Filipinos from a tourist resort in Palawan, Philippines,' it added. US citizen Guillermo Sobero and other hostages were murdered, it said. The statement accused Sahiron of continuing 'to plot terror schemes' that affect communities in the southern island of Mindanao. 'US authorities consider Sahiron to be a threat to US and Filipino citizens and interests,' the statement said. Basit, meanwhile, 'is a bomb-making expert with links to the Jemaah Islamiah and Abu Sayyaf Group' and poses a threat to US and Filipino citizens and interests over his links to these groups Washington considers terrorist. 'He is believed to have orchestrated several bombings that have killed, injured, and maimed many innocent civilians,' the spokesman said. The statement said Mundos, who remains at large following a prison escape in 2007, was arrested in May 2004 'on the first-ever money laundering charges against terrorists' after a probe by US and Philippine officials. Mundos confessed to 'having arranged the transfer of funds' from Al-Qaeda to Abu Sayyaf Group leader Khadaffy Janjalani for bombings and other crimes on Mindanao, it said. He is also considered a threat to US and Filipino citizens and interests. Those with information on the location of the three suspects - who are all believed to be hiding on Mindanao - are urged to contact the nearest US embassy or consulate or any US official or military commander, it said.

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Southeast Asia

Meet the new leader of Abu Sayyaf

2008-10-03

The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has a new leader: Ustadz Yasser Igasan. According to a reliable Army Commander, Igasan is a religious scholar, not a warrior. Sulu Representative Yusof Jikiri said he had heard Igasan was "very spiritual," but he also noted Igasan was a Tausog, an ethnic group known as fierce fighters. Muhammad Jamal Khalifa, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law, established Darul Imam Shafin in 1988. Khalifa's International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) funded the religious school. When the news first leaked that ASG commanders had met to choose a new leader, not much was known about Igasan. Since then, a more complete portrait has emerged. Igasan, in his 40s, was among the original members of ASG, along with its founder, Ustadz Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani. In 1993, Igasan was a classmate of Abdurajak's brother, Khaddafy Janjalani, at Darul Imam Shafin, an Islamic institution in Marawi City. Muhammad Jamal Khalifa, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law, established Darul Imam Shafin in 1988. Khalifa's International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) funded the religious school. The IIRO ostensibly was engaged in charity work. Investigators say Khalifa was funneling funds to terrorists and supporting secessionist movements in the southern Philippines. He was ASG's link to al-Qaeda. The Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council has since frozen IIRO accounts. As a teenager, Igasan reportedly traveled to Afghanistan to fight the then-Soviet army. How involved Igasan was in any fighting is unclear. The Arabs of al-Qaeda and their Taliban allies regarded Southeast Asian Muslims as not real Muslims. They often gave them lesser duties in camp. Igasan met Janjalani in Afghanistan, and the two talked about a separate Islamic state in the Philippines. When they returned home, they cooperated in establishing the Abu Sayyaf Group. Igasan was in the first ASG camp in Basilan-Camp Al-Madinah. He was there when marines overran the camp. Igasan also was with the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas who raided the town of Ipil in 1995, killing more than 50 people. He reportedly was wounded during the army's pursuit operation. In 1998, Janjalani's death left ASG with three choices for a new leader or emir: Igasan, Khadaffy Janjalani and Radulan Sahiron. The election quickly became a choice between Igasan and Khadaffy. Those who favored Igasan noted that although he and Khadaffy were fellow students at Darul Imam Shafi, it was Igasan that Khalifa had appointed "mushrif"-top of the class. Igasan subsequently became head of Quranic Studies for the IIRO. Igasan also was Khadaffy's senior by three years and thus had three years more field experience. Igasan's supporters believed he had religious credentials almost as good as those of the elder Janjalani. In the end, however, the field commanders threw their support behind Khaddafy, the dead emir's brother. By the late 1990s, Igasan had left the Philippines for further Islamic studies in Libya and Syria. By the late 1990s, Igasan had left the Philippines for further Islamic studies in Libya and Syria. He took a lesser role in ASG after Khaddafy's election and left the country again in 2001. This time, he traveled to Saudi Arabia as an overseas Filipino worker, but it was a cover for his real activities. Igasan made contact with Abu Abdurahman, who was involved with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Igasan began to funnel money from jihadist supporters in Saudi Arabia to Abu Sayyaf. He also might have facilitated the travel of two unidentified militants from Yemen, who were in Basilan with ASG. They left for Mindanao with Khadaffy and his second-in-command, Abu Solaiman. Hostages confirmed the unidentified Yemenis were present when the militants celebrated the September 2001 attacks in the United States. ASG commanders might have supported Igasan's election because of his foreign contacts. They badly need funding, and Igasan's past activities provide the guerrillas with legitimacy as jihadists rather than common criminals. Igasan's next move likely will be to target Westerners in kidnappings for ransom, particularly foreign aid workers, businessmen and tourists. The abductions also can be a tactic to persuade foreign militants that Abu Sayyaf is part of the global jihad. Igasan's religious credentials make him an equal religious authority with the Muslim religious scholars who have issued fatwas, or religious edicts, condemning ASG. His background also could curry favor with Ustadz Habier Malik, a renegade member of the Moro National Liberation Front who withdrew from a peace agreement with the government. In addition, Igasan as leader would make Abu Sayyaf more appealing to the regional Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group. Sources inside the Moro Islamic Liberation Front discount all the speculation about Igasan. They say ASG has adopted the loose "inverted pyramid system of leadership" favored by al-Qaeda. Such a leadership style allows individual commanders autonomy to protect the secrecy of their operations. It means that Igasan would function as a spiritual guide rather than operational planner.

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Southeast Asia

Abu Sayyaf now just bandits, says Philippine army chief

2008-06-27

The Abu Sayyaf, once the Philippines' most feared Islamic militant group, has splintered since the death of its leader and is now just a collection of bandits, the head of the armed forces said on Thursday. 'It has degenerated into a money-making group ... (with) activity devoid of any semblance of ideology or cause, they have degenerated into plain bandits,' General Alexander Yano told reporters. He said the Abu Sayyaf's recent kidnapping of a Philippine television journalist and her crew showed that the group needed funds. The group was freed last week after a ransom of at least 5 million pesos was paid ($112,500). Yano said he did not think the Abu Sayyaf had an acknowledged leader since their chief, Khadaffy Janjalani, was killed in a clash with Marines in September 2006. He said the group, which is estimated to have around 350 members, also no longer had permanent bases. The Philippine military, with help from U.S. special forces, mounted a prolonged ground offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in 2006 and 2007, killing many of the organisation's key members. The Abu Sayyaf, which has links to regional terrorist organisation Jemaah Islamiah, is blamed for the Philippines' worst terrorist attack; the bombing of a ferry outside Manila in 2004 that killed more than 100 people. Since the military's offensive, however, the organisation has stayed at its base on Jolo, a remote southern island, and carried out a number of kidnappings.

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Southeast Asia

Militant Declines Abu Sayyaf Leadership

2008-04-09

A Filipino militant trained in the Middle East has declined to lead the brutal Abu Sayyaf group, prolonging a leadership crisis among the al-Qaida-linked militants, according to a confidential police report. The Abu Sayyaf — listed by Washington as a terrorist organization for carrying out bombings, kidnappings and beheadings — has been hobbled by a leadership vacuum since its chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani died in a clash with government troops in September 2006. Army officials have said that little-known militant Yasser Igasan had become a top candidate, despite his limited combat experience, because of his connections with potential Middle Eastern financiers. A confidential police report on terrorist threats, seen by The Associated Press on Tuesday, said that Igasan "declined the emirship" of the Abu Sayyaf last year and that the group "continues to operate without a central leadership." The report did not cite any reason for Yasser's refusal. Igasan was among the first members of the Abu Sayyaf, which was formed in the early 1990s by Muslim guerrillas led by Khaddafy Janjalani's elder brother, Abdurajak, according to a separate police report. Igasan, who speaks Arabic, reportedly left the country in 2001 for Saudi Arabia, where he helped raise funds for the Abu Sayyaf, then briefly underwent combat training either in Afghanistan or Iraq, according to a security official, citing statements from captured militants. Marine Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, who heads an anti-terrorism combat force on southern Jolo island, said last week that the Abu Sayyaf leadership crisis and funding problems, along with U.S.-backed offensives, have prevented the guerrillas from launching major attacks. The Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 380 men with 290 firearms, is believed to have launched its last major attack in February 2005 with simultaneous bombings in Manila and two southern cities that killed eight people and wounded more than 100.

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Southeast Asia

Toe tag for top Abu Sayyaf militant

2007-12-16

Philippine troops killed a senior Islamic militant wanted by the United States after they raided his safe house in the restive south of the archipelago, officials said on Sunday. Mobin Abdurajak, a leader of the Abu Sayyaf group, was wanted for kidnapping 21 people from the Malaysian resort island of Sipadan in 2000. The victims were freed after a ransom was paid. "The neutralization of Abdurajak is part of our campaign to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf terrorists," regional navy chief Rear Admiral Emilio Marayag said. Navy officers and marines swooped on Abdurajak's hideout in Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost tip of the Philippines, on Saturday night. He was killed in the firefight. The United States had offered $20,000 for the arrest of the militant, a brother-in-law of Abu Sayyaf chief Khadaffy Janjalani who was killed in a clash with the military last year.

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Southeast Asia

14 Abu Sayyaf in Jug for Life for kidnapping

2007-12-06

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Fourteen Muslim terrorists militants were sentenced to life in prison Thursday for the 2001 kidnapping of a U.S. missionary couple and 18 others in a yearlong jungle ordeal that prompted U.S.-backed offensives against the guerrillas. Gracia Burnham, of Wichita, Kan., survived the captivity, but her husband, Martin, was killed during a military rescue in June 2002. Guillermo Sobero of Corona, Calif., was beheaded by the rebels. Most of the top leaders of the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group, which orchestrated the abductions at a resort island, have been killed in clashes since the trial opened in 2003. Philippine officials have credited the U.S. counterterrorism training that started in 2002 for many of the battlefield successes. "We commend the justice system for showing the rule of law," said Robert Courtney, the U.S. Justice Department's attache at the Manila embassy. He said he would relay the decision to Gracia Burnham. The Burnhams, missionaries for the Florida-based New Tribes Mission, were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary when they were snatched by the Abu Sayyaf at the upscale Dos Palmas resort on Palawan island in May 2001, and taken by speedboat to southern Basilan island. The rescue operation left a Filipino nurse dead, and two Filipino security guards from the resort also were beheaded by the terrorists rebels. The other hostages were released or managed to escape. Defendant Toting Hannoh, who was found guilty, struck a defiant note. Asked if this was the end of the Abu Sayyaf, he said: "No, it will become stronger." Out of 85 suspects originally charged with kidnapping, 23 were captured and tried, and 18 appeared in court. Four were acquitted Thursday. Four others were killed in a botched prison break in 2005, and one has been cleared of charges. Out of 85 suspects originally charged with kidnapping, 23 were captured and tried, and 18 appeared in court. Four were acquitted Thursday. Four others were killed in a botched prison break in 2005, and one has been cleared of charges. A year after the resort raid, the U.S. military began sending troops and instructors to train Filipino soldiers in counterterrorism. U.S.-backed offensives had dislodged the terrorists guerrillas from their bases on Basilan, but they have remained a major threat and continued to regroup. Officials estimate their number is down to about 300 terrorists guerrillas from about 1,000 in 2001. The overall leader, Khadaffy Janjalani, was killed last September in fighting on southern Jolo island. His presumed successor, Abu Sulaiman, was shot dead in a separate clash earlier this year. Dont'cha just love stories that finish with a happy ending.

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Southeast Asia

'RSM spokesman' owns up to Glorietta 2 blast

2007-10-20

A person who claimed to be the spokesman of the Rajah Sulayman Movement (RSM) on Saturday said the group was responsible for Friday’s attack in Makati City that left nine people dead and scores of others injured. A person who claimed to be the spokesman of the Rajah Sulayman Movement (RSM) on Saturday said the group was responsible for Friday’s attack in Makati City that left nine people dead and scores of others injured. In a text message to ABS-CBN News, the person who said he was RSM spokesman Ruben Omar Lavilla, alias Sheik Omar, demanded the release of founder Hilarion del Rosario Santos, alias Ahmed Santos. RSM is a terror organization whose members are allegedly composed of Christians who have converted to Islam and reportedly operates in Manila and northern Luzon. It was suspected of carrying out the Rizal bombing in 2000 and Valentine’s Day bombings in 2004. The text message said RSM had sought the help of Assistant Secretary Severo Catura assigned to the Office of the Executive Secretary but its demand had fallen on deaf ears. National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, meanwhile, said the government will verify if RSM was indeed responsible for the attack. Authorities are still verifying the authenticity of the sender and his claim. Lavilla, a former professor at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, is considered RSM’s religious, political and strategic leader. Based on the record of the intelligence community, Lavilla allegedly trained RSM’s recruits in the group’s hideout in Pangasinan and Tarlac province. In 2002, the military stormed RSM’s training bases in both provinces. It was reported that before the raid, Lavilla received P10 million from Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani. The money was purportedly meant for RSM’s "operational expenses." Since Santos’s capture in 2005, Lavilla served as the group’s spokesman.

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Southeast Asia

Central Mindanao terror threat level raised

2007-03-18

Security forces in Central Mindanao have been alerted following persistent reports that al-Qaeda-linked Islamic extremist groups would stage bombing attacks in the region. The alert was raised as the Antiterrorism Task Force warned that the terror threat in Mindanao remains high, indicating probability of attacks within the month. The Philippine National Police chief, Director General Oscar Calderon, directed all police units in Central Mindanao to stay vigilant. The ATTF reports, culled from intelligence sources, have indicated an increasing movement of terrorist groups and also of explosives. The report had also indicated that attack might be carried out by the Jemaah Islamiah and the Special Operation Group, made up of former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The ATTF added that JI-associated MILF rogue groups who were involved in the recent rash of bombings in Mindanao and who are plotting new attacks were reportedly hiding in MILF enclaves. “This situation hampers government troopers from conducting neutralization missions against the [terrorists] suspects,” the PNP, quoting the ATTF report said in a statement. The task force also said followers of the slain Abu Sayyaf chieftain, Khadaffy Janjalani have been regrouping in western Mindanao in preparation for bombing missions. “Intensify police visibility operations and checkpoints in Central Mindanao region to check the activities of terrorist groups and prevent the movement of their arms and personnel,” Calderon ordered. The PNP chief also directed security tightened at vital installations such as government facilities, communication sites and public places that are vulnerable to a terrorist attack. “The PNP cannot afford to take chances whenever there is a threat of terrorist activity. I ordered the police to intensify visibility and intelligence monitoring in preempting terrorist from carrying out their activities,” Calderon said. The ATTF report said the threat level in Metro Manila and in Caraga was moderate, while that in other regions remained low.

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Southeast Asia

Winning hearts and minds in Philippines restive south

2007-03-11

EFL Muslim cleric Abhasaan Idlasan sat quietly under the shade of a coconut tree as an MG-520 attack helicopter roared overhead, signaling the arrival of a US military convoy he now associates with development aid. Idlasan, in his long white robe and Muslim headscarf, is the spiritual guide to the several hundred families in this remote and impoverished coastal village on the southern island of Jolo, a key Southeast Asian theatre in the US-led "war on terror". The area has changed little in the past 50 years. Many villagers live in houses on stilts, electricity is limited, fresh water is a daily problem and school remains a luxury only a few can afford. Waves lap on the jagged shoreline, and children swim in the shallows beneath the rickety stilts as their fathers dry-dock their small fishing boats. For years residents lived literally under the barrel of the gun, with marauding Al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf militants terrorizing them and taunting government authority that seemed powerless hundreds of kilometers (miles) away in Manila. "We are thankful that the atrocities have stopped. The Americans helped us when they arrived, they helped repair our mosque and renovate the school," Idlasan, 54, told Agence France Presse recently as he joined a group of local officials in greeting visiting US envoy Kristie Kenney and military officials. "The soldiers are very polite, they are specially playful with children," he said. "We feel safe having them around." Idlasan's support is key to the US troops' goal of "winning hearts and minds" here and elsewhere in Jolo, considered by defense experts as an important Southeast Asian front in the US-led global counter terrorism campaign. As the local cleric, Idlasan is highly respected and his openness allows joint US and Philippine forces to move towards finally isolating and crushing the Abu Sayyaf. During a two-week visit, the troops built a four-kilometer (two-and-a-half-mile) road and bridges linking Bato-Bato to other towns. While US troops are prevented from joining combat, Philippine officials said they had provided intelligence that led to the recent killing of Abu Sayyaf leaders Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Solaiman. The two had engineered the Abu Sayyaf's worst terrorist attacks as well as the kidnapping and murder of two US citizens in 2001. The self-styled militants have now disintegrated into smaller units in Jolo's jungles with Umar Patek and Dulmatin, two Indonesians who are leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which was behind the Bali bomb attacks in 2002. And with the help of the local community, officials said the rebels would be flushed out of their hideouts and neutralized. "They are now disorganized and leaderless," said Major General Eugenio Cedo, commander of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division, stressing that public support for the US-Philippine joint exercises could lead to "isolating the Abu Sayyaf". AFP article showing US military in a positive way? Does the French version say the same thing?

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