US Sends Guam Troops To Fight Philippines Islamic Terrorists
ABC Radio Australia
The United States has sent troops from Guam to the southern Philippines to help the nation fight the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.
Our reporter in the Northern Marianas, Gemma Casas, reports Major General Donald Goldhorn saying members of the Guam National Guard have been training soldiers in the Philippines’ southern province of Jolo to fight the Abu Sayyaf group.
The US considers Abu Sayyaf a terrorist group because of its involvement in bombings, kidnapping, rapes and extortion activities in the Philippines and other South East Asian nations.
The major says the Guam guards will stay in Jolo for six months in an overall deployment of two years.
He says the US considers Jolo an important mission to keep security in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Abu Sayyaf gained notoriety in 2000 when its members, armed with M-16s and rocket launchers, abducted 21 European tourists in Malaysia’s Sipadan Island.
They tortured the victims and beheaded an American tourist.
The hostages were only freed after millions of dollars in ransom were paid.
A Filipina broadcast journalist and her crew are believed to have been abducted by the Abu Sayyaf group on Monday.
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I worked with the Guam Guardsmen many years ago.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:42 pmThe Chamorro will do more than just a good job.
A’Adahen I Pacificu!
Hey, where are the Aussies? Isn’t this their neighborhood?
Oh, yea, that’s right they have decided to hide under the skirts of their women.
June 12th, 2008 at 3:34 amThe Philippines have been within the U.S. area of responsibility for 110 years. We have a long standing security relationship forged in blood on Bataan and Corregidor, and many other battlefields in the archipelago. It is our job, not the Aussie’s to provide advisory support. The Philippine constitution forbids allowing foreign troops to engage in combat operations on thier soil. A frustrating limitation for any training or advisory team.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:01 amdont be surprised if the SAS are in there doing there thing. they were rumoured to be there when that marine expeditionary unit was hunting down alquaeda in the phillipines a while back.
June 12th, 2008 at 7:18 amLikely so, but I am referring to the new administration in Australia and the connection of abu sayyaf and the Bali attack.
June 12th, 2008 at 10:06 amthats true rudd now appears to have duped everyone into voting for him and he is beginning to seem very similar to obama.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:09 pm