February 3, 2002, AFP, Philippine Muslim rebels warn they will attack US troops in their areas,

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces "are maintaining a high level of alertness in Basilan", where armed US troops may join patrols in the six-month joint military training exercise, rebel spokesman Shariff Julabbi said Sunday.

"We will respond to any threats. We will shoot them if they encroach into our territories," said Julabbi, who is the head of MILF forces in Basilan.

MILF spokesmen had earlier been careful about speaking out against the exercises, with Manila making it clear that the exercises were meant to crush the smaller Abu Sayyaf group, which is holding captive a US couple and a Filipina nurse.

Officials from both sides say the US troops will not engage in combat, but will be armed and would defend themselves under attack.

But local officials and analysts have said that the exercises could trigger a bigger conflict since other Muslim armed groups like the MILF also operate in Basilan.

Julabbi on Sunday said the exercises appeared to be a "smoke screen" for allowing US troops to mount a rescue operation for the Abu Sayyaf, with which the MILF maintains it does not share ideological links.

"You do not hold war games in strife-torn areas and the US forces are there to rescue the hostages, but we are warning them not to encroach into our territories because we will surely respond drastically," he stressed.

The MILF warning came days after a US MC-130 plane was hit by two bullets while flying over the northern Philippines as part of military exercises, initially blamed on the communist New People's Army.

Communist rebels have denied having a hand in the attack, but on Saturday said they were ready to fight US troops.

About 600 US troops are to join the military exercises in the strife-torn southern Philippines, and the US plane hit by bullets was taking part in another army exercise in the north.

The 12,500-strong MILF is the country's main Muslim insurgent group. It has signed a truce with Manila while negotiating a political settlement to their 23-year rebellion for the establishment of an independent Islamic state in the south.