The arrival of American troops in Zamboanga has been welcomed, but there are fears that Abu Sayyaf may drag the US into a prolonged conflict. Many in the Philippines question how a gang of only 80 men have not been overthrown by a force of 8,000 Filipino soldiers, writes Miriam Donohoe, Asia Correspondent
Last summer American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham travelled to a ritzy resort on the western Philippine island of Palawan to celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary.
The break was well deserved for the couple, who had been working with remote tribes in the Philippines' Nueva Vizcaya province for several months. The Burnhams' holiday came to an abrupt end on May 27th when they were dragged from their beds at gunpoint by a gang of rebels. Another US citizen, Guillermo Sobero, 14 Filipino tourists and three resort staff were also abducted in the midnight swoop. The petrified hostages, many still wearing their bed-clothes, were bundled into a motor boat which sped 300 miles across the sea to the tiny island of Basilan.
For the past eight months, the Burnhams and a Filipino nurse, Deborah Ya, have been held hostage by the gang. They have lived in the dense jungles of Basilan, often shackled to trees and forced to survive on meagre rations of bananas, coconuts and rice. Every night, a chain is attached to Martin Burnham's left wrist. He and his wife share a small hammock. There have been persistent rumours that the nurse has been forced to marry one of her captors. Other captives have met a cruel end. Mr Sobero was beheaded, with his remains found scattered through the jungle. Other hostages were shot dead. A mountain-top clearing in the centre of Basilan is the base for the group of 80 ruthless gunmen responsible for these kidnappings. They earn their living from piracy, robbery, extortion and kidnapping. In the last two years they have taken 140 hostages, killing 16, and extracting hundreds of thousands of dollars in ransom payments for the release of others. These young men - most are in their 20s - are no ordinary bandits. They make up the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group which has links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist organisation. They and their island home are now the target in the second phase of the US war against terrorism. In the last two weeks, US soldiers have arrived in the southern Philippines to assist the local forces in wiping them out.
The Abu Sayyaf base is well hidden in jungle on Basilan's Mohajid mountain. Basilan measures only 20 miles by 40 miles and is accessed by ferry from the port city of Zamboanga on Mindanao Island. The guerrilla base is virtually impenetrable, according to locals. "The Abu Sayyaf camp is surrounded by lush, heavy forest. It is the ideal shelter," said Red Cross worker Allan Cajucom, who has been there three times in the last year to provide medical assistance to hostages.
The base, he said, is heavily guarded 24 hours a day. The gang built wooden shacks for their hostages. While this is their principal lair, they have another nine camps in the jungle, Mr Cajucom says.
Abu Sayyaf was founded by Abdurajack Janjalani, a soft-spoken Islamic preacher who fought against the Russians in Afghanistan in the 80s. After the Soviet war, the group moved its operations to the Philippines to support the generations-long battle for the establishment of an independent Muslim state in the southern islands.
There is evidence that Abu Sayyaf has links with al-Qaeda. Ramzi Ahmed Youssef, who was jailed for the bombing of the World Trade Centre in New York in 1993, is believed to have been a frequent visitor to the Abu Sayyaf school on Basilan in the early 1990s.
His work with Abu Sayyaf became known in 1994 when a bomb aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Manila to Tokyo killed a passenger and injured six others. Abu Sayyaf claimed responsibility. Youssef was arrested in a safe house belonging to Osama bin Laden in Islamabad and was extradited to the US.
When Abdurajack Janjalani was killed during an exchange of gunfire between the gang and police on Basilan in 1998, a power struggle took place within the organisation with the former leader's brother, Khadafy Janjalani, emerging as the new leader. He is still in charge and remains at large.
At one stage, it was estimated that Abu Sayyaf had several hundred active "freedom fighters" based on Basilan and the two smaller neighbouring islands of Sulu and Tawi Tawi. But that figure is believed to have dwindled to 80. The group has been responsible for several terrorist acts. One of the most vicious was in April 1995 in the Christian town of Ipil in Mindanao. Gunmen burnt the town centre to the ground and shot dead 53 civilians and soldiers. At the time, the military said they believed Abu Sayyaf had forged links with international terrorist cells, including some with al-Qaeda connections.
The group has consistently targeted foreigners for kidnapping. In Zamboanga, Muslims and Christians live for the most part in harmony. The city is 70 per cent Christian and 30 per cent Muslim. People from both communities suffer the same problems - poor housing and a lack of jobs. There is anger among moderate Muslims here about the Abu Sayyaf and the attacks it has carried out in the name of Islam.
The only elected Muslim councillor on the Zamboanga City Council, Absbi Edding, said he is ashamed of their actions. "Groups like Abu Sayyaf give Muslims a bad name. I condemn the acts committed by these people." While the arrival of US troops in Zamboanga has been welcomed by the majority of people in the city, there is growing concern that the Abu Sayyaf may drag the US military into a prolonged conflict. It is no secret that Abu Sayyaf relishes the thought of direct conflict with the American enemy. As US troops started to arrive two weeks ago, Abu Sayyaf's spokesman went on radio with a message for the arriving forces. "For more than 300 years now the Muslims in the Philippines have faced and fought numerous invaders, foreign and local. This time you will be losers."
Many people in Zamboanga and Manila are questioning how a group of only 80 men have not been overthrown by a force of 8,000 Philippine military currently on Basilan.
Father Circilo Nacorda, Catholic parish priest in Lamitan on Basilan, was kidnapped and held by Abu Sayyaf for 61 days in 1994. He was released after a ransom was paid by the government. He alleges that the military are in collusion with the group, and is unhappy at the presence of the Americans because, he says, there are enough soldiers already on Basilan.
He was almost kidnapped again last June when Abu Sayyaf arrived at his church compound in Lamitan after their dramatic sea journey with the Burnhams and other hostages from Palawan Island. The group took over the compound and demanded medical treatment. After a two-day siege in which several people were killed, including Father Nacorda's sacristan, Abu Sayyaf escaped. Father Nacorda and others are convinced that they were able to flee after paying money to the military.
Mr Edding said the question must be asked how such a small group has escaped the might of the police. "They are being stage-managed by the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the military," he alleged. He is not happy to see the Americans in Zamboanga to help the Philippines do its dirty work. "I have nothing against Americans but this is a Filipino problem, not an American one."
Philippine senator Sergio Osmena is also convinced that money changed hands last June to allow the gang to escape. He is leading a campaign to have an independent investigation into the June events after congressional and senate inquiries failed to provide proof of corruption. Many witnesses were too afraid to come forward, he said. Mr Cajucom said Abu Sayyaf had a network of people on Basilan who bring them supplies and who are willing to protect them. "The majority of people want to see them arrested but there are a core who are helping them out," he said.
Meanwhile, thearrival of the American troops in Zamboanga has caused a stir. A force of 240 is already in the city with another 420 due to arrive in the next two weeks. And 160 special forces troops will go to Basilan Island to equip and train Philippine Scout Rangers to fight the Abu Sayyaf. Last Tuesday evening, senior Filipino and US commanders got together for a buffet and entertainment at the Philippine army southern command headquarters in Zamboanga. The atmosphere was good and the troops relished delicious fresh sea food and beer. Many were even enticed to go on stage to sing.However, behind the scenes, neither side was singing from the same hymn-sheet. They were battling over the terms of reference for the joint military exercise on Basilan. Agreement was finally reached late on Thursday night. The Filipinos will control the operation and the US will not take part in combat. But they can shoot in self-defence. The concern is that if the American troops enter combat for self-defence reasons that the situation could totally change. Instead of eliminating the Abu Sayyaf they could end up in a quagmire, according to senator Osmena.