CIA, FBI, Aussie Agents Operating In Philippines

By Edith Regalado
The Philippine Star
01/20/2007
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DAVAO CITY — Several American and Australian intelligence agents are in Mindanao to monitor terrorist activities, military sources here claimed yesterday.

"Mindanao is crawling with CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and even Australian federal agents," a source told The STAR.

The source, who asked not to be named, said aside from the US Special Forces deployed in Zamboanga and assisting in Sulu, foreign intelligence agents are also helping track down Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah militants. The foreign agents pose as tourists, businessmen, consultants or even treasure hunters.

...The American and Australian agents in Mindanao were the alleged source of the intelligence reports that were reportedly the basis of the travel advisories issued by their respective governments prohibiting their citizens from traveling to certain parts of the island because of terrorist threats.

"The perception that some parts of Mindanao have become breeding grounds of the terrorists has brought these (foreign) agents to the island," the source said.

Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, confirmed that at least two FBI agents are now working in the area.

Cedo, who is based in Zamboanga City, arrived here Thursday for a meeting with officials of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Easmincom) regarding the joint operations against the Abu Sayyaf.

"They were the two (FBI agents) who paid me a courtesy call. But as to the others, they have not coordinated with my office, so I do not know about them and their movements if indeed they’re here," Cedo said.

He explained that the two FBI agents would only come in whenever an Abu Sayyaf member or a suspected terrorist is killed.

FBI agents were recently sent to Sulu to get DNA samples from a corpse believed to be that of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani.

Abu Sayyaf rebels who have turned themselves in led government troops to the location where Janjalani was buried, after the Abu Sayyaf leader was allegedly killed during an encounter with government troops last year in Patikul, Sulu.

Army special forces also killed Abu Sayyaf spokesman Jainal Antel Sali Jr., alias Abu Solaiman, during a firefight in Talipao, Sulu last Tuesday.

The US Embassy in Manila remained mum over reports on the presence of FBI and CIA agents in Mindanao.

Press Attaché Matthew Lussenhop declined yesterday to confirm the reported arrival of FBI and CIA agents with their Australian counterparts in Mindanao for assessment of the government’s campaign against terrorism.

"No. I couldn’t confirm that," Lussenhop said in a telephone interview.

He added that US servicemen are in Mindanao taking part in development projects of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

...Cedo said the FBI agents in Mindanao are investigating the reported killings of Abu Sayyaf bandits.

"They (FBI) investigate also," Cedo said.

The CIA, FBI and Australian agents also reportedly conduct their own investigations when bombings and similar attacks occur in the South.

Significant Contriibution

CIA Director Michael Hayden told lawmakers that the US-Philippines cooperation has contributed greatly to strengthening the capacity of the Philippine Armed Forces and the security services.

...Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said Australian federal agents have coordinated with him.

Duterte, who is President Arroyo’s presidential adviser on peace and order and security issues, said he also received field reports regarding the presence of CIA and FBI agents in Davao City. "They did not get in touch with me," he said.

Sources said sometimes the presence of foreign agents creates conflicts with the job of local intelligence agents.

"The problem is there are times that these agents tend to overshoot their mandate and meddle in our jobs in our very own territory and those are times that we make it clear to them that they have to stop at certain points. We have to draw the line," the source said.

The source said some of the foreign agents are braggarts who look down on their local counterparts.

"Whether we like it or not, it is clear that the Americans are here in Mindanao to protect their interest and their interest alone," the same source said.

- Pia Lee-Brago, AP

Source:
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200701200401.htm

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