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FBI Chief Warns of al-Qaida in Southeast Asia
Monday, March 18, 2002
MSNBC News Service

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report

U.S. Special Forces Staff Sgt. Jeff Henke, right, and a Philippine soldier during a training exercise in Lamitan town, Basilan island, southern Philippines, on Monday.
Image Credit: Aaron Favila -- The Associated Press.

“He emphasized that there is no evidence of any al-Qaida cell in the Philippines but we have to take all the necessary precautions to make sure that this continues this way,” presidential national security adviser Roilo Golez said.

MANILA, Philippines -- MSNBC
FBI chief Robert Mueller warned on Monday that Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network was gaining a foothold in South East Asia and the United States and its regional allies were on the look out for an attack from the group. Mueller, on a visit to the Philippines, also said Washington has alerted its allies to watch out for al-Qaida attempts to produce weapons of mass destruction.

Mueller met with his Philippine counterpart, Philippines National Bureau of Investigation Director Reynaldo Wycoco, and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday on the last leg of a South Asia tour.

During his visit, Mueller will assess U.S. help in fighting the Abu Sayyaf, a guerrilla group in the southern Philippines which has held three hostages — Wichita, Kan., missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and Philippine nurse Ediborah Yap -- for nearly 10 months.

About 660 U.S. troops are in the southern Philippines to train the Philippine armed forces to better fight the Abu Sayyaf, which Washington has linked with al-Qaida, and rescue the hostages.

Mueller and Wycoco met to discuss what was being done in the Philippines to fight terrorism. Wycoco said after their meeting that Mueller expressed appreciation to the Philippine’s help in counter-terrorism efforts.

* ANOTHER GROUP GAINS FOOTHOLD
* AL-QAIDA NUCLEAR WARNING
(More: MSNBC.com News Source)
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Dan