<

U.S.-Philippine Anti-Terrorism Training Mission Cripples Abu Sayyaf
Wednesday, July 31, 2002
(10:58 UTC)
By Heda Bayron
Voice of America

Gloria Arroyo
Image Credit: VOA.com.

"We shall uphold the constitutional rights of our people with the full force of a strong republic," President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said. "But let me serve warning, we shall not relent in the fight against terrorists."

HONG KONG -- VOA
The United States has formally ended a six-month anti-terrorism training exercise in the southern Philippines aimed at wiping out the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels. Military leaders are hailing the effort a success.

U.S. and Philippine military officials have declared that their six-month joint training mission has crippled the Muslim separatist group, Abu Sayyaf.

At a closing ceremony in the southern city of Zamboanga Wednesday, the Commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, Admiral Thomas Fargo, praised the exercise as a "job well done." He said the Abu Sayyaf are now "on the run" and its senior leadership "being eliminated."

Philippine Armed Forces Chief, Lieutenant General Roy Cimatu, says his troops are now better equipped and prepared to fight terrorists.
(More: VOA.com News Source)
2002 © Voice of America.

Dan