PHILIPPINES: EMBASSIES OF CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND THE EU OFFICE REMAIN CLOSED FOR SECOND DAY FOLLOWING SECURITY THREATS FROM ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS

Record ID: 645613

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: EMBASSIES OF CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND THE EU OFFICE REMAIN CLOSED FOR SECOND DAY FOLLOWING SECURITY THREATS FROM ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS
  • Date: 28th November 2002
  • Summary: (U2) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (NOVEMBER 29, 2002) (REUTERS) SV: FLAGPOLES OUTSIDE TOWER HOUSING AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY, WITH NO AUSTRALIAN FLAG CU/SCU: NOTICE ON DOOR SAYING THAT THE AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY HAS TEMPORARILY MOVED LOCATION WIDESHOT OF BUILDING HOUSING AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY (SOUNDBITE) (English) WIDESHOT OF AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR RUTH PEARCE'S NEWS CONFERENCE PEARCE WALKING TO MICROPHONE SAYING: "The closure of the embassy in Manila, was considered a high level decision based on specific intelligence information that was assessed as credible. The decision reflected our government's commitment to protect the welfare of staff and visitors to the embassy. I can not go into details about the nature of the information. The Philippine government was advised of the decision before it was made pubic. We regard the threat as requiring ongoing vigilance and we are keeping the situation under close review." WIDE OF PRESS BRIEFING CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) PEARCE SAYING: "I can only refer you to what Minister Downer has been saying in Australia concerning the nature of the threat. I think he has made reference to Islamic fundamentalist groups." WIDE OF JOURNALISTS SV: PEARCE LEAVES ROOM VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS AT THE U.S. EMBASSY; BURNING OF US FLAG; PROTESTERS IN WATER (2 SHOTS) SLV: SENTRY AT THE US EMBASSY
  • Embargoed: 13th December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Crime,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA965EW0UAQMRO9UVDWEZ28CB30
  • Story Text: Embassies of Australia, Canada and the office of the European Union remained closed for a second day following security threats which foreign diplomats say have come from Islamic fundamentalist groups.
    Philippine Foreign Secretary Blas Ople met the high commissioners of Australia, Canada and the European Union and promised increased protection for their missions, after their offices closed down on Thursday (November 28) citing credible threats of attacks.
    But Philippine officials and security experts said fears of attack by Islamic fundamentalists were overblown.
    "Yes, one of them, Secretary Golez deplored the closure of the embassies on the basis that the information could have been served without the controversy. Speaking of Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes and Secretary Lina, they promised to further upgrade the security persons, from the Philippine national police and if its necessary the Armed forces of the Philippines in these embassies in Manila," said Philippine Foreign Secretary Blas Ople after the meeting with diplomats.
    Australia has been on high alert since the October 12 attacks on the Indonesian resort island of Bali killed at least 185 people, nearly half of them Australians.
    On Friday (November 29), the Australian and Canadian embassies and the EU office remained closed.
    At a press conference at a hotel in Manila, Australian Ambassador Ruth Pierce reiterated Canberra's concerns.
    "The closure of the embassy in Manila, was considered a high level decision based on specific intelligence information that was assessed as credible. The decision reflected our government's commitment to protect the welfare of staff and visitors to the embassy. I can not go into details about the nature of the information. The Philippine government was advised of the decision before it was made pubic. We regard the threat as requiring ongoing vigilance and we are keeping the situation under close review," said Pierce.
    Thursday's alerts, just six weeks after the Bali bombings, appeared to be confined to the Philippines. The largely Roman Catholic country has itself been a target of attacks by domestic militant Muslim groups.
    Despite Philippine officials seeking to downplay the closures, police said they inspected the office building housing the Australian mission on Wednesday (November 27) night after a man called to say a bomb had been placed inside.
    No explosives were found.
    Police also said Australian security officers questioned a Filipino man filming the building last week.
    The Bali bombings have been blamed on Jemaah Islamiah, a Southeast Asian militant group believed to be linked to the al Qaeda network that is Washington's prime suspect in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
    Jemaah Islamiah is alleged to want to set up an Islamic state across a large swathe of Southeast Asia.
    Australia advised its nationals to defer non-essential travel to the Philippines, a move also made by Canada as it shut its mission in Manila.
    But a foreign risk consultant familiar with the details of the alerts said they stemmed from a general briefing for several diplomats by Philippine intelligence officers.
    The consultant questioned why, if the risks were perceived to be high, businesses in the tower blocks housing the two missions had not been evacuated.
    Security was stepped up around embassies in Manila's busy commercial and diplomatic district of Makati.
    Philippine officials said the Department of Foreign Affairs was told to find more secure facilities for the Canadian and Australian missions.
    The U.S. embassy in Manila reopened on Friday following the Thanksgiving holiday. Around 20 anti-U.S. demonstrators burnt the American flag outside the embassy in protest against a military logisticis support agreement between the Philippines and the United States.
    The British and New Zealand missions were operating normally.
    Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Canberra had received information from sources in the Philippines about a planned attack by Islamic extremists in the next few days.
    He said staff at the embassy had been temporarily relocated to a nearby hotel to continue their consular work.
    Philippine officials have said local Muslim militants from groups such as the Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) participated in training with Jemaah Islamiah and al Qaeda members.
    Jemaah Islamiah is also accused of funding bombings in Manila by MILF members that killed more than 20 people in December 2000.
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