mike in manila- eclectic views

Reports of mass killings and targeted assassinations continue to rise in these wonderful but dangerous islands I call home... The reports continue to raise concerns because of the spiraling level of violence.

Over this weekend since Friday a half dozen have been shot in targeted killings or hits. On Friday until Sunday on all sides... the number of these strange killings has hit seven.

The attacks: normally involve small targeted hit teams of three or four and quick rapid assassination a shout of the organizations name then the killers disappear into the woodwork or streets from whence they came often on motorcycles. One group on the left a moderate leftist organization Bayan Muna has had 95 of its members killed.

But since January- the spiraling killings continue in one report I saw a tally figure of 71 'government workers or employees people in the service of Government' all victims of targeted assassinations by 'hit squads'.

On the other militant sector side the figures range from 97 to 600 depending on whose figures one views - the 600 figure covers a period from 2001 while the 97 figure is from January.

REPORTS: Mass graves claimed, debunked, clarified, and, denounced

[]... THE military has unearthed more atrocities committed by New People’s Army rebels in the countryside, the latest of which were the mass execution of rebels and civilians alike, the recruitment of child warriors and the abduction and rape of a teenager by a rebel commander.....[] Indy Media.be

[]... During a press conference held in Bukidnon, Zubiri said Gonzales is "peddling lies in the national media" concerning the presence of the graves, which supposedly contain the remains of suspected informers of the military killed by New People's Army (NPA) rebels....[] Sun Star

[].... SO WHERE are the mass graves? An Army commander yesterday said there were no mass graves in Bukidnon province as earlier claimed by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales. “We did not use mass graves or killing fields to describe Bukidnon (in the report) but we stand by our statement that there were 21 documented killings over a period of five years,” stressed Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Madrigal, commander of the 26th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division. ....[] INQ7.net

An example of victims from the last 24 hours - a policeman in Jolo shot and killed by members of the ASG it is claimed and a leftist leader - former rebel killed in another part of the country both families are grieving - both men are Filipino-- both are victims of assassins.

[]... Ex-Red leader gunned down
First posted 11:12am (Mla time) May 29, 2006
TABACO CITY -- (2nd UPDATE) A former communist insurgent leader was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne gunmen in in Barangay Tagas here at 8:30 Monday morning, a police official said.
FULL STORY ...[] Inq7.net

[].... Cop killed in another Jolo attack
Sun.Star, Philippines - 11 hours ago
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- A Muslim policeman was shot dead Sunday by an unidentified gunman in the troubled island of Jolo in the southern Philippines, ...[] Sun Star

On the left side of Government and the NGO sector over the weekend there has been reports or claims that three or four members of the Presidents cabinet in the view of the gruops are accused as beng behind alleged 'death squads'.

[].... MANILA -- Military officials said they have taken "appropriate security measures" for four Cabinet officials who are reportedly targets of assassination by a group of "conspirators." ...[]

[]... The leftist organization Bayan Muna on Sunday named three Cabinet officials as the masterminds of the incidents of militant killings in the country. In a radio interview Robert de Ocampo, Bayan Muna deputy secretary-general, said Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita were behind the murders. The three are members of the Cabinet’s security cluster. ....[] Manila times -ABS-CBNNews.com

The Military and Police has increased security around these individuals to make sure the announcement does not draw specific reprisals versus the four mentioned in the press conference of the left wing groups.

It continues to not be seen in these reports the increasing number of individuals killed in a spree of rising violence and how all these killings has overwhelmed investigation teams from Police who are dealing with a rising number of killings also ongoing are criminal and political groups using the entire issue as a cover for the activities that otherwise might just be lumped into the pile of this growing civil war of assassination and hit men.

Hunderds of Boys and teenagers kidnapped in Southern Philippines

By Mike Cohen

Manila - Philippine authorities are desperately searching the countryside in the Southern Philippine province of Sultan Kulerat for a large number of children believed to have been stolen by a cult that is allegedly abusing the children en-masse. In what is being called a massive child search and rescue operation the military and police are looking for a cave where scores of children have been brought to be members of the group; a 'shadowy cult police claim in a remote area. The Philippine Government Philippine News Agency reported "Police in Sultan Kudarat have started looking for a cave where hundreds of children were allegedly being held captive by a cult."

Authorities were alerted to the mass kidnappings after a "account by a 14-year-old boy who claimed to have escaped from the cult prompted authorities to search for the cave, possibly located in the mountains near Lutayan town" the remote hinterland province is home also to rebel groups it i unclear if the children are being kidnapped for service in the various armed bands that roam the Philippine countryside. The government run news agency reports;."The cult is believed responsible for the disappearance of children in various places, including South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos City". The areas are large communities where a sudden surge of disappearances has accrued.

"The boy, whose identity and address was withheld for security reasons, was brought to the Lutayan police station by residents approached by the child after fleeing from the cult." The State run news agency report said further “Police say that there have been other similar reports of this kind of crime”. adding further the boys escape may shed light on the disappearance of hundreds of other young boys and teenaged men, “He told policemen that he was kidnapped several weeks ago by a group of men. They covered his nose with a substance-laced cloth and he lost consciousness. When he woke up, the boy found himself in a dark cave filled with children, who were also kidnapped."

In Manila at the National Police Headquarters operations center say they fear the cult may be a cover for a mass recruitment by kidnapping of insurgent groups who have done this before on Basilan Island in the Southern Philippines. Four insurgent groups operate in the Southern Philippines ranging from Communist rebels. Two factions of the Islamic separatist movement the MNLF and the MILF but most of these groups do not engage in kidnapping of children as fighters.

The fourth a Al Qaeda linked group of insurgents called the Abu Sayyaf who are allies of the Jemaah Islamiah and Al Qaeda. Are known to kidnap en-mass to “recruit and brainwash’ young men and boys often keeping them for weeks until they join raids or crime spree’s or using them as ‘cannon fodder” between them and government forces.

Authorities say the last time group had been known to kidnap young men and boys was often prior to engaging in large battles. UNESCO & UNCHR have several times in the past condemned the use of child fighters in conflicts in the Philippine insurgency by armed groups in the last few years as the Philippine economy has improved it has become harder for some armed groups to find recruits claim authorities and they have been known to abduct children in a effort in increase their numbers in the field.

May 28th, 2006 Posted by mikeinmanila | Uncategorized, news, News and politics, News Of China, china, asia, war on terror, Views, war, philippines, Democrats, immigration, Filipino, freedom of speech, protests, border security, free speech, al qaeda, abu sayyaf, fil-am, filipino-american

The dangerous life is back...

Terror from all sides: Mass Graves reported; Purge w/in NPA ranks claims Military, Gov’t - while left claims 93 militants killed by right wing death squads.

Last Friday I put up a post after getting two calls and couple of text messages from Mindanao. Another call came from Tarlac,

Today the first media reports on 'mass grave s' having been found one containing as many as 20 murdered victims, 20 victims, nothing reported in the so called mainstream press or television; Why? good question, perhaps because so many killings are taking place 93 militants, I can't even remember how many people anymore in my profession, journalism in the last two years.

This discovery came after a couple of text messages and emails, the CDO mass grave contained a number of victims; in media we know about this occurring the late and mid 1980's BUT these graves contents I am told were New.

The grave(s) alleged the caller were victims of a left wing purge inside the leftist movement, or, so the first caller claimed - a report today in the Philippine Star - said that the Armed forces according to national security advisor Norberto Gonzales had recovered a series of small graves and that Police and the NBI were investigating;

That a NBI medico Legal teams was on site; the findings showed the contents to have been from the last few months. On the other hand I am sure there is always a possibility of some extent of truth to the Military's reports. But, with all the other killings many in broad daylight the tactics of 'right wing' militia like attacks. One wonders just how many more sites are out there awaiting discovery from too many factions within armed groups to mention.

The discovery also is coming on heels of 93 deaths of leftist group members in the country shows a pattern of a 'dark side' of insurgency is rising to the surface.

Of assassination teams on the right and left some perhaps also might group in those of the middle or Vigilante groups- adding all those numbers and bodies and you get a figure of over 600 victims in the last three years more or less.

Groups it seems are 'taking out' opponents with impunity. Add to this the specter of reports I had received last year of new "sparrow type" and 'eagle squad' units being trained by all sides and factions from rebel groups to militia units and a specter of a new wave of violence is coming to fold.

So far, the opposing death squads seem to be focusing on people within the organizations on both sides - so Military, Media, and, Police reports claim. On wonders when the squads will go after more visible targets, so far the units have been acting on localized vendettas and attacks, there is no clear pattern investigators say; But so far little of this is being pulled together.

Lets take the last week alone- a pastor and his wife were gunned down in Misamais oriental he had ties to a labor group, a 6 members of leftist 'peoples' groups killed, these new graves discovered with some fifty bodies, 5 more reports in rural areas of killings and shootings, a mayor almost hit south of manila in Laguna.

One thing is clear - there is a growth industry - in death by gunfire this month. Most of it out of public view, all of it on top of insurgency related clashes and attacks, then don't forget the other insurgency in Mindanao. The violence is growing; lets hope as is traditional the rainy season cools off the killings. Even though the rains themselves bring death from floods and landslides and ships sinking - the purges, death squads, and vigilantes show clearly that; 'The dangerous life' is back in the Philippines anew.

May 15th, 2006 Posted by mikeinmanila | Uncategorized, news, News and politics, asia, war on terror, Views, philippines, immigration, Filipino, Bush, Rants, Raves, Whathaveyou..., al qaeda, abu sayyaf, filipino-american

Estrada: : US intel was media gossip?

Estrada: US intel sent to him was all media clippings?

The words speak volumes for the information the US government sought to almost send a FBI analyst to the death chamber for- but relented to lower prison term.
According to former President Joseph Estrada, when informed the US government prosecutors had reached plea bargain deal with Lean Arangoncillo - in his "Spy case" in Washington DC.

Estrada told newspapers in the Philippines;

" For his part, Estrada maintained the information he received from Aragoncillo were public knowledge. "
So what does this tell you about the level of US intel in the country - ""Let me just say that when this case first made the local papers, I readily admitted that I received e-mails from Mr. Aragoncillo which I believe were not confidential because this information was mostly culled from local newspaper clippings," Estrada told. the Philippine Star...
"There was nothing secret about this information (from Aragoncillo) which dealt mostly with political developments in the Philippines, and everyone had access to those media reports," he added.

In hindsight knowing from having interviewed this man - that when quickly asked questions on issues Estrada does not very often mince words. In a simple way he has given insight to something though - that US intel is feed and fueled by media reports and public domain information. Ergo- the intel was not that good…. so if the information was so sensitive as to force this man out and perhaps put him in Leavenworth for the next decade or so.

What does it tell you about the information the FBI and White House has on the country? Also what about other parts of the world?

OK, he may not even know it - but "Erap" may have just let out a assessment of Intel capabilities without intending to. No wonder they never indicted these guys it would have shown just another case of how bad US intel has been on sensitive information.

May 7th, 2006 Posted by mikeinmanila | Uncategorized, news, News and politics, health, china, asia, Views, war, philippines, immigration, Rants, Raves, Whathaveyou..., war on teror, fil-am, filipino-american

WHO: "get the world ready for a pandemic."

Warning about Bird flu have anew been raised in the World Health Organizations head; UN health organizations medical staff are also warnings that there is a strong need to revitalize human public health care.
In part they blame in the West "the decades of privatisation and handing over health care to huge HMO's and Health Service providers." tasks that governments had been in charge of may be endangering populations.

There is a lot of information online in the USA:

Avian influenza virus usually refers to influenza A viruses found chiefly in birds, but infections can occur in humans. The risk is generally low to most people, because the viruses do not usually infect humans. However, confirmed cases of human infection have been reported since 1997.…more

Information is also available from the WHO:

WHO is coordinating the global response to human cases of H5N1 avian influenza and monitoring the corresponding threat of an influenza pandemic. Information on this page tracks the evolving situation and provides access to both technical guidelines and information useful for the general public.

Latest information

5 May 2006
Avian influenza – situation in Egypt - update 7
Full text

5 May 2006
Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO
Full text

19 April 2006
Aide-Memoire: Infection control recommendations for avian influenza
Full text

Your best defense is information -
philippines news-and-politics

ICG say’s Noordin Top - “JI” leader running out of money, support, &, people; Yet still a threat

A recent police action in Indonesia and serious efforts have been able to cast a shadow over the Asia wing of Jemaah Islamiah so a report from the International Crisis group claims,

"behaviour following Bali II suggests he is running short of money and experienced cadres. The loss on 29 April of the men who served as both couriers and recruiters has to be a significant blow. The Wonosobo raid was a triumph for the police, and Noordin’s arrest will be an even greater one." - ICG report
How ever the report points out that there is still a lot of work needed to done to ensure networks and group ties are swayed away from the extreme towards the mainstream.

Ji remains a potent terror force in part because of extensive family and other ties that stretches across Indonesia, Malaysia, S. Thailand and Mindanao in the Philippines.

Spectacular terror attacks and Iraq like IED bombings has "turned off" most of the moderates in the movement for the high loss of life among locals and not the targets intended victims, lading to fractured group less organized and more compartmentalized but as such still deadly.The hardcore remnants seems eager to create further chaos; and destruction, but also want to see larger alliances from more mainstream and moderate groups as well.

" Terrorism in Indonesia: Noordin’s Networks,* the latest briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines how Noordin has used personal networks, based around an inner circle of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members but gradually expanding beyond them, to build a following committed to al-Qaeda style attacks – even though many in JI disapproved. “Noordin may think of himself as JI, but since the 2003 Marriott bombing, he has been running his own show that is seen as a deviant splinter by many in the JI mainstream,” says Sidney Jones, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Project Director in Jakarta." http://www.crisisgroup.org
The website has extensive reports and research on the Jemaah Islamiah; focused more on Indonesia. But provides insight for Philippine leaders on that side of the War versus extremists in the region.

Lean Aragoncillo -has entered a guilty plea to leaking information to Anti-Arroyo Destabalizers

But; Claiming he felt he was helping only … He also said he did not name those he sent information to- except for Michael Ray Aquino;

But what is new further is he did it while still in the Blair House under both Vice Presidents and later at FBI. He also admits he treid to return to OVP US Balir house staff in 2005,

The amazing thing; one get a clearp icture to entire case; with the press release below of US DOJ - I'm posting it here since I've already done my story and want others to get a glimpse of what we base our reports on.

Compare it to the wires news reports out of the U.S.

Story www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/breaking_news/14501358.htm

- " A former FBI intelligence analyst pleaded guilty Thursday to passing classified information to plotters allegedly trying to overthrow Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo."

Below is the full press release of US DOJ through PR News wire on the Arrangoncillo case:

Contact: Michael Drewniak of U.S. Dept. of Justice, (number deleted on request)
NEWARK, N.J., May 4 /U.S. Newswire/ — A former Marine who worked at times under two administrations in the Office of the Vice President of the United States pleaded guilty today to espionage and other charges, admitting that he took and transferred classified information, including national defense documents, to senior political and government officials of the Republic of the Philippines in an attempt to destabilize and overthrow that country's government, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie of the District of New Jersey announced today.

Leandro Aragoncillo, 47, admitted that he regularly transferred to his hilippine contacts national security documents classified as Secret, and that the information could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation. He also admitted traveling to the Philippines in January 2001 to meet his co-conspirators, including during a visit to the Malacanang Palace, the official residence of the president of the Philippines.

Aragoncillo also admitted that some of the classified information he removed from of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) between approximately October 2000 and February 2002 included information marked "Top Secret" that related to terrorist threats to United States government interests in the Republic of the Philippines (ROP).

Aragoncillo, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in the Philippines and most recently of Woodbury, N.J., was an FBI intelligence analyst at Fort Monmouth, N.J. at the time of his arrest on Sept. 10, 2005. He admitted today that his espionage activity continued during his time as an FBI analyst.

"Aragoncillo took the most solemn of oaths as a U.S. Marine and FBI analyst to protect his country and its security," said U.S. Attorney Christie. "His betrayal is profound and a disservice to his country and all the men and women in military and security positions around the globe who take the oath and serve with honor and integrity."

Also arrested last September was Michael Ray Aquino, a former Philippines National Police official, who was among those who Aragoncillo is alleged to have passed classified information. Aragoncillo specifically identified Aquino today as a co- conspirator in the transfer of classified documents and information.

Aquino, who remains in federal custody, was indicted on Oct. 6, 2005 and charged with conspiring in the passing of classified information to current and former officials in the Philippines. No date has been scheduled for Aquino's trial due to extensive pretrial discovery.

Aragoncillo pleaded guilty to four counts of an indictment returned today by a federal grand jury. Count one charged him with conspiracy to transmit national defense information; count two charged him with transmission of national defense information. The maximum penalty for both of those crimes is death under certain circumstances — including the transfer of secrets that result in the death of an intelligence source — that are not present in the case of Aragoncillo. Consequently, the maximum statutory penalty on those counts for Aragoncillo is any term of years up to life in prison.

Count three charges Aragoncillo with unlawful retention of national defense information, and count four charges him with unlawful use of a government computer, both of which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

In the indictment and during his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls, Aragoncillo's co-conspirators were identified as Executive Branch Official No. 1, a senior member of the executive branch of the ROP from June 1998 through January 2001; Senator No. 1, who has served in the Philippine Senate since June 2001 and was formerly the head of the Philippines National Police; Representative No. 1, who served in the Philippines House of Representatives between about 1998 and 2001 and again in 2004; Representative No. 2, who served in the Philippines House of Representatives between 1992 and 2001, and again in 2004; Mayor No. 1, who is a mayor of one of the municipalities located near Metro Manila; and Aquino.

Aragoncillo admitted his contacts began on July 27, 2000, when a delegation of public officials from the Philippines — including Executive Branch Official No. 1 and Representative No. 1 — met with the President of the United States at the White House. Aragoncillo was then a staff assistant to the Vice President's Military Advisors and possessed a Top Secret security clearance.

Aragoncillo said that Representative No. 1 contacted him in or about October 2000, and requested information about the U.S. government's views about the Philippines. Aragoncillo stated that Representative No. 1 appealed to his sense of loyalty to the Philippines and its people in requesting the information. As a result of Representative No. 1's appeals, Aragoncillo agreed to begin supplying Representative No. 1 with national security- classified documents and information.

From that time forward, and continuing through his service with the OVP and the FBI, Aragoncillo admitted to gathering and providing classified documents and information to Executive Official No. 1, Senator No. 1 and the other co-conspirators.

Aragoncillo also admitted that in telephone, e-mail and text message exchanges with Senator No. 1, he advised that the information he was transferring would be useful in assisting Senator No. 1 and his associates in their attempts to destabilize and overthrow the president and government of the Philippines. In one telephone conversation, for example, Aragoncillo admitted that he told Senator No. 1 that the documents were like a "blueprint" on how to engineer a coup. In response, Aragoncillo said that Senator No. 1 told him that the document was "a good reference" and that Senator No. 1 "would print it because we are preparing something like this."

Among other specific admissions by Aragoncillo:

– That on Jan. 12, 2001, he met Executive Branch Official No. 1 at the Malacanang Palace.

– That on June 1, 2001, he gathered classified "Situation Reports" from the OVP, and transmitted them to Representative No. 1.

– That on April 17, 2001, and Jan. 29 and Feb. 6, 2002, he gathered documents classified "Top Secret" and "Secret," respectively, containing national defense information relating to terrorist threats to U.S. government interests in the ROP and exercises involving the U.S. military in the Philippines.

– That he sought positions with the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency, to gain access to classified documents and information that would be useful to his co-conspirators.

– That beginning in September 2004, he began gathering classified documents from FBI computers located at Fort Monmouth relating to the ROP, and thereafter he transmitted classified documents and information to his co-conspirators until his arrest on September 10, 2005.

– That from approximately January to April 2005, he transmitted by e-mail approximately 30 documents classified "Secret" and "Confidential" to Senator No. 1 and Aquino, including documents containing national defense information.

– That on Feb. 28 and Aug. 4, 2005, and on other occasions, he transmitted documents to his contacts containing classified information about confidential intelligence sources of the U.S. government.

– That approximately two weeks before his arrest, on Aug. 25, 2005, he sought to return to his position as a Staff Assistant in the OVP.

Christie credited Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Leslie Wiser, Jr., in Newark, N.J., for their investigation of the espionage case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karl H. Buch and Michael Buchanan, of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division, and Clifford I. Rones, senior trial attorney, U.S. Department of Justice in Washington.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

May 5th, 2006 , News and politics, china, asia, terrorism, Views, war, philippines, immigration, Rants, Raves, Whathaveyou..., war on teror, fil-am, filipino-american

Malls. Parks and resort hotels on JI hitlist

A Report from the Philippine government to media today they say they have foiled a plot by a combined Abu Sayyaf - Jemaah Islamiah team and it's Al Qaeda funders to attack protests and rallies on May Day in Manila.

The bombings had been planned; using hand M67 fragmentation granades that have a injury radius of 50meters.

The grenades attacks were supposed to be carried out by a six man "strike team" of ASG-JI members who had planned to sow chaos. The plan was the hand grenades into the protest crowds; and the plan; was to blow up a second set of devices if a stampeded ensued use a series of IED's to create further mayhem.

the plan is still a threat idea - that is why the PNP wisely went out and talked behind the scenes to protest organizers; behind the scenes to warn them of the JI-ASG plot and asked their Marshall's to be "aware" of the plot. It seems to have worked- strangers were not allowed close to rally organizers and stages - people have to realize there are third and fourth wing elements who want to see violence erupt on the streets to create a shortwave to stir the mostly silent masses and middle class and provoke a more repressive response from the present Government.

Documents and communications chatter monitored indicates that the Asia wing of the Al Qaeda group is hard pressed to prove to its Middle Eastern backers; that they can open a second front in Asia and take pressure off of fighters in Iraq. Millions in support fund have been sent out; some from those backing Al Qaeda - others- from new sponsors; who are seeking more distractions for those wanting a to make the SE Asia theater a larger more violent area in this on-going "near WW3" that is happening around the globe,

The greatest concern by those in the middle east is also to derail and divert attention from successful programs "counter insurgent" of the RP, US, EU, and, Australia in the Philippine provinces of Basilan and Jolo.

The programs designed by the Philippine Government and funded and supported by the Allies vs. Al Qaeda have had a large measure of success.

The strike teams are also out in Mindanao itself; in an effort to derail or end Peaceful resolution of the Islamic separatist insurgency in the Southern Philippines through peace talks.sponsored by the USA and brokered by Malaysia with the majority of Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The raiding team led by Nelson Yabit, Sr. inspector PNP-CIDG; at a home in Marikina City last week recovered CD's computer disks and maps

Reuters in a report says more threats are feared ongoing;

"active threats" to bomb shopping malls and public parks in cities such as Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga.Police believe attacks are being planned by Khaddafy Janjalani, the Abu Sayyaf leader who is believed to be hiding on the southwestern island of Jolo, and Indonesian militants Dulmatin and Umar Patek, key suspects in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people."

philippines news-and-politics

South China Sea Pirate Attack needs another look….

“The ‘Southern Metropolitan Daily’ in Hainan reports that four Chinese fishermen were killed in a Pirate attack of the coast of Islands of the disputed “Spratly Chain” of islands near the Philippine island province of Palawan.” - WIRES

When I saw this report on the wires and the ABS-CBN website it may to view of most who see these kinds of raids and robberies to be just another attack.

Men in a small swift vessel hitting a fishing boat on the seas of the rich fishing grounds of the South China Sea;

Then one looks at the area and see's something.

They didn't take the vessel.

They left men alive.

They took radio's, communications gear, and money.

They kiiled four and then let the rest go after running the vessel a few hours.

The group was well armed – they hit the target; they got the items they needed and moved on; after taking some things of value to them off the ship.

What makes this different you might think? Having covered Pirate attacks and missing vessels in the area for now going on two decades pirate attacks follow one age old tradition -

Dead men tell no tales.

Typically the Pirates of the Sulu, Suluwesi, South China Sea, do not let those they encounter get away.

Pirates, don't leave anything behind or anyone, they scuttle and strip everything off of vessels.

In the opinion of people familiar with the situation there;
"This was either business rivalry fight over a rich fishing ground area - or- smugglers who don't want another vessel in an area they were using, and, lastly. Seeing a pattern to these strange attacks - hit and run - almost like "practice missions" the main suspect are Maritime Terror groups in the area.” - A senior retired Naval Officer now a Military Analyst warns.

Perhaps the most notorious of these, was a shadowy group in the area that; in the late 1980's- 1990's was organized to scare away foreign fishing vessels from the shores of a Southern Philippine Province.

A group that may be coming back; and with a vengeance; attempting to carry out a much more deadly attack against bigger targets.

Increasingly is seen by Naval forces in the area as part of the growing "Maritime Terror " tactics of a group that in the `1990's carried out a number of attacks like this to announce their presence. "The Bearer of the Sword" is the englsih name.

That group, originally formed to scare off "foreign" fishing vessels from the seas around the Sulu Archipelago, did things like this, boarding, striping vessels, taking some crew members and freeing the rest. So the name would move on to others.

The group had its roots in the Separatist Insurgency of Mindanao;

It called itself "Al Harakatul Al Islamyia," the name, is one of many who have covered them know; But to most people the type of attack is well known to people of the Southern Philippines Eastern Malaysia and Central North Eastern Indonesian Borneo.

The group that I am refering to is; known more as the ASG, the Abu Sayyaf Group.

They have hit in the Moro Gulf, the Mindanao Sea, the Davao Gulf, the Sulu Sea, and off the coast of Borneo. They are rumored to have similar groups in other parts of region, with similar names.

But the Spratly's? Yes, they are known for "activities" as well there.

Albeit not so well covered and reported as the more spectacular attacks they have carried out before..

It would be a good thing to find more information on the report.

The types of weapons, the language spoken by the pirates; It is something; considering attacks in other parts of the region at around the same time frame should be looked into. There have also been several mysterious incidents in the area ; several reports of vessels gone with a trace of wreakage.

I am sure this all being looked into; But, I am wondering - if considering the timing we might be hearing more about this soon.

South China Sea Pirate Attack needs another look….

“The ‘Southern Metropolitan Daily’ in Hainan reports that four Chinese fishermen were killed in a Pirate attack of the coast of Islands of the disputed “Spratly Chain” of islands near the Philippine island province of Palawan.” - WIRES

When I saw this report on the wires and the ABS-CBN website it may to view of most who see these kinds of raids and robberies to be just another attack.

Men in a small swift vessel hitting a fishing boat on the seas of the rich fishing grounds of the South China Sea;

Then one looks at the area and see's something.

They didn't take the vessel.

They left men alive.

They took radio's, communications gear, and money.

They kiiled four and then let the rest go after running the vessel a few hours.

The group was well armed – they hit the target; they got the items they needed and moved on; after taking some things of value to them off the ship.

What makes this different you might think? Having covered Pirate attacks and missing vessels in the area for now going on two decades pirate attacks follow one age old tradition -

Dead men tell no tales.

Typically the Pirates of the Sulu, Suluwesi, South China Sea, do not let those they encounter get away.

Pirates, don't leave anything behind or anyone, they scuttle and strip everything off of vessels.

In the opinion of people familiar with the situation there;
"This was either business rivalry fight over a rich fishing ground area - or- smugglers who don't want another vessel in an area they were using, and, lastly. Seeing a pattern to these strange attacks - hit and run - almost like "practice missions" the main suspect are Maritime Terror groups in the area.” - A senior retired Naval Officer now a Military Analyst warns.

Perhaps the most notorious of these, was a shadowy group in the area that; in the late 1980's- 1990's was organized to scare away foreign fishing vessels from the shores of a Southern Philippine Province.

A group that may be coming back; and with a vengeance; attempting to carry out a much more deadly attack against bigger targets.

Increasingly is seen by Naval forces in the area as part of the growing "Maritime Terror " tactics of a group that in the `1990's carried out a number of attacks like this to announce their presence. "The Bearer of the Sword" is the englsih name.

That group, originally formed to scare off "foreign" fishing vessels from the seas around the Sulu Archipelago, did things like this, boarding, striping vessels, taking some crew members and freeing the rest. So the name would move on to others.

The group had its roots in the Separatist Insurgency of Mindanao;

It called itself "Al Harakatul Al Islamyia," the name, is one of many who have covered them know; But to most people the type of attack is well known to people of the Southern Philippines Eastern Malaysia and Central North Eastern Indonesian Borneo.

The group that I am refering to is; known more as the ASG, the Abu Sayyaf Group.

They have hit in the Moro Gulf, the Mindanao Sea, the Davao Gulf, the Sulu Sea, and off the coast of Borneo. They are rumored to have similar groups in other parts of region, with similar names.

But the Spratly's? Yes, they are known for "activities" as well there.

Albeit not so well covered and reported as the more spectacular attacks they have carried out before..

It would be a good thing to find more information on the report.

The types of weapons, the language spoken by the pirates; It is something; considering attacks in other parts of the region at around the same time frame should be looked into. There have also been several mysterious incidents in the area ; several reports of vessels gone with a trace of wreakage.

I am sure this all being looked into; But, I am wondering - if considering the timing we might be hearing more about this soon.

No mouse in the House!

If there ever was a virus that could be created to do worst damage possible to humans using XP Pro it may have hit me today. Or perhaps in my carelessness, I struck a master delete stroke and I deleted the folder, or someone else, using my computer id.
I still can't figure it out or how, but somehow, my driver file for my mouse is gone from my system.

I stared at my PC trying to remember all the hot keys. I hit F1 for help; then grabbed the mouse to look for a topic. Okay, nothing. Now what?! So I did the old Alt-Tab to shift between windows. I went to Ctrl-Alt-Del to go to Task Manager. I tabbed and tabbed, shifted and shifted but nothing happened. I did the piano on F-keys, i banged away in every combination possible, mixed with all the Alts, Ctrl, Shifts that would have made Beethoven proud; it finally brought down a tab.

Since I had hit so many keys, I tried to remember what to do next so I did an old thing I used to do with my older windows 3.1 (or was it 2.5 or 5.0?!). I hit the key to minimize. It shut down my PC, saving all the setting for whatever piece of keyboard strokes I had done in the process!

I called our resident geek-of-this-condo; he came in after the PC rebooted and powered up. Took one look at my settings and ran screaming down the hallway. I don't know what I had done but there was this screen saying Missile Launch Confirmed. Have a nice day. The rest was in Hindi... oh well...

Another friend got in touch; he told me, no problem - hit Win-M to minimize and Win-D to display a window. Cool... I only had about 170 windows. And half of them flashing with the words ‘funds transferred’ and ‘funds deleted’, and all in Russian - something else I couldn’t understand. So I hit Ok, Ok, Ok.

Then the Power went off and stream of black vans came up the driveway.
No, it wasn't me. They were there for the neighbor. He kept screaming, “We’re all doomed! We’re all doomed! Were all doomed! “, as those nice men in white jackets put him in a nice robe with sleeves that wrapped around his back.

I also learned, from another friend who called, Alt-F4 closes a window as well as other important keystrokes. I am trying to write this to see if both my hands work and I can actually write something without cutting and pasting from something, somewhere else. The feeling is actually refreshing.

It has only taken me five hours to get this far.

Okay, now my friendly neighbor is back. He seems so relaxed in the stretcher. I'll just go to the window to say hello. Wait.

Ok I'm back. He was fine ‘til he saw me. Then he started screaming again.

This time, all I need to do is use the master control: Ctrl-Alt-Shift-Throw-the-PC-out-the-window. I think I'll try it now...

In brief: Can you imagine the impact of something like that would have on, say, a system filled with people who don't know hotkeys, who don’t know what to do if the mouse dies?! What would you do when there is no mouse in house? Or touchpad on the laptop? The pointer device is perhaps something that deserves the Nobel Prize, or a heck of royalty check. But I must admit, the hotkeys are fun and bring me back to a yesteryear of early PC'ing.

So I see I can still write…well, a little. Perhaps it’s not all that bad, after all…

Okay, gotta go buy a new mouse or PC, or see if I can figure out why I’m suddenly on all these new fun chatrooms.

And, oh, some guys have come to visit. Why are they wearing those helmets and goggles and dressed in black, though...