October 24, 2002, Radio Australia, Melbourne, Philippine police tie Abu Sayyaf to Jemaah Islamiyah, Al-Qa'idah - dispatch,

October 24, 2002, Radio Australia, Melbourne, Philippine police tie Abu Sayyaf to Jemaah Islamiyah, Al-Qa'idah - dispatch,

A high-ranking officer of the Philippines National Police has confirmed reported links between local Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf and international terrorist groups. Shirley Escalante reports.

[Escalante, in Manila] A director of the Philippine National Police says police intelligence has established a connection between the Abu Sayyaf group and the Islamic terrorist groups of the Jemaah Islamiyah and the Al-Qa'idah network. Chief-Supt Eduardo Matillano, director of the police criminal investigation and detection group, says police have been monitoring the moves of a leader of the Abu Sayyaf...

[Matillano in vernacular, Escalante overlaid] The police were able to establish a connection between the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah and the Al-Qa'idah...

Police believe a string of bombings in the southern Philippines and in Metro Manila in the past two weeks was the work of the Abu Sayyaf with the help of the Jemaah Islamiyah. Twenty people were killed and 200 others were injured in the bombings.

Source: Radio Australia, Melbourne, in English 1200 gmt 24 Oct 02