Wednesday, September 21, 2005
MAKING THE WORLD SAFE FOR ISLAM
MANILA, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda-linked Muslim militants have stepped up recruitment in the southern Philippines, focusing on converts to Islam, an army intelligence official said on Wednesday.
The small Abu Sayyaf Group has been one of the government's biggest security headaches in recent years, carrying out a series of high-profile kidnappings and bomb attacks against civilians.
"The Abu Sayyaf Group was recently monitored intensifying its recruitment activities," the intelligence official told reporters, quoting a military report.
"The recruits were allegedly offered a salary of 10,000 pesos to 30,000 pesos ($177 to $536) to join the group and will be used in conduct of sabotage operations in Zamboanga City."
The report follows bomb attacks last month in and nearby Zamboanga that killed four people and wounded about 50.
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