Concerns Philippine militants using drugs to finance terrorism
Updated Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:47pm AEDT
The head of the Philippines anti drug agency, Anselmo Avenido Junior, says the agency has received intelligence the nation's most notorious Islamic militant group, the Abu Sayyaf, could be involved in the production of marijuana to raise finances.
The Abu Sayyaf is blamed for the country's worst terrorist attack, the bombing of a ferry near Manila Bay in 2004 that killed 100 people.
The Communist New People's Army, listed by the US State Department as a terrorist group, has been participating in large scale marijuana cultivation in the Northern Philippines since the 1980's, while traditionally the Abu Sayyaf relies on kidnap for ransom to fund its operations.
Mr Avenido Junior has told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program police are receiving regular intelligence the Abu Sayyaf Group is also involved.
"We have not arrested anyone belonging to the Abu Sayyaf group in the actual possession of marijuana or in the act of planting marijuana," he said.
"But reports continue to come into our possession regarding their involvement, because marijuana plantations discovered are in areas where they usually are present."
Qianrong Wang, from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Bangkok, says there is concern terrorist organisations across the world including in South East Asia are becoming involved in illegal drug production to raise funds to finance their cause.
"This is also a major concern for the international communities for the past few years - what people refer to as narco-terrorism," he said.
"Drug trafficking is always an easy way for the international terrorist groups...to obtain the funds to support their terrorist activities."
You can find the full story at the Connect Asia website:
http://radioaustralia.net.au/connectasiaBut I'm sure you'll say that it's just a coincidence that the marijuana plantations are found where terrorist groups are present, just like it's just a coincidence that the individuals in the article were stoned when they abused the child, had over 2,000 pounds of marijuana, $4 million in cash, and dozens of firearms.
It had nothing to do with marijuana. I'm sure those firearms and all that cash and dope were going to go for good causes.
Nothing at all to do with the harmless marijuana.