US embassy cable - 05MANILA2242

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002242 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/PMBS, INR/EAP, S/CT, USIP - SOLOMON 
NSC FOR GREEN 
SEOUL FOR ERIC JOHN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2015 
TAGS: PTER, RP 
SUBJECT: MILF COMMANDER SAMIR DENIES LINKS TO JI, PLEDGES 
COOPERATION 
 
REF: A. MANILA 1898 
     B. MANILA 1470 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Joseph Saus 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary.  MILF Base Commander Hadji Samir Hashim, in 
a recent letter, has denied all links to Jemaah Islamiyah 
(JI), and pledged to locate, arrest, and turn over to 
authorities any JI operatives in his area of responsibility. 
Given what we believe to know about Samir's past connections 
with JI operatives, which led Embassy to recommend his 
designation by the USG as a foreign terrorist (reftels), this 
profession is disingenuous but may indicate also that he is 
reconsidering his links to the JI.  We will follow up with 
his nephew (one of the candidates in the ARMM gubernatorial 
race) should new evidence of his complicity arise.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU)  During a May 3 meeting with Datu Ibrahim "Toto" 
Paglas -- a close Embassy contact and candidate in the 
upcoming August 2005 race for governor of the Autonomous 
Region In Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) -- Ambassador emphasized 
that Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders and 
military base commanders had to break any and all ties with, 
support for, and tolerance of suspected terrorists within 
their operating areas.  Ambassador cited two suspect base 
commanders -- Ameril Kato and Samir Hashim (reftels).  (Note: 
 Samir Hashim and his brother -- the late Moro Islamic 
Liberation Front Chairman Salamat -- are Paglas' uncles.  End 
Note.) 
 
3.  (SBU) Paglas expressed doubt that his uncle had any such 
ties, but promised the Ambassador he would contact Samir 
directly.  On May 10, Paglas' intermediary provided poloff a 
letter, apparently signed by Samir but not dated, written in 
Maguindanaoan and accompanied by an informal English 
translation (text in para 5).  Notably, Samir claimed that 
there were no Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) operatives within his 
Base Command, and pledged that, if he discovered any, he 
would turn them over to "the appropriate authorities." 
 
4.  (C) Comment:  The body of evidence suggests that Samir is 
disingenuous in his claim of no past or current ties with the 
JI.  However, he may be reaching a point where he, like his 
late brother, is ready to make a choice toward peace and 
against terrorism, and the threat of designation as a foreign 
terrorist may be helping in making the right choice, along 
with pressure from his nephew, who very much wants to win the 
ARMM election.  We should be ready to follow up should new 
evidence of complicity arise.  Embassy will also attempt to 
discover any new signs of cooperation through the GRP-MILF Ad 
Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) -- recently operationalized to 
jointly investigate and intercept suspected terrorist and 
criminal elements.  End comment 
 
5.  (SBU)  Informal English text: 
 
quote 
 
Moro Islamic Liberation Front 
Headquarters 
National Guard Base Command 
Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces 
Camp Abubakar As-Siddique 
 
In the name of our group, the National Guard Base Command, 
Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, I want to assure all concern 
(sic) that we have not and we will never be a friend of the 
Jamaa Islamia, nor provide them sanctuary within our area of 
responsibility. 
 
The reason of this stand is we do not know why this group are 
here, if they are indeed here in our area and what they are 
fighting for.  Moreover, I do not understand or speak Arabic 
or English languages. 
 
Our Group also intensely dislike these people (Jamaa Islamia) 
because we believed that there (sic) presence could cause 
serious troubles among the peace loving Bangsamoro people. 
Because of this fear, we will drive them away or prevent them 
from entering our area, including their local sympathizers, 
if there are any. 
 
And finally, if there are members or sympathizers of Jamaa 
Islamia hiding in our area of responsibility, then we commit 
and pledge in locating them, arrest them and turn them over 
to the appropriate authorities. 
 
Sukran and Wassalam. (Thank you and greetings.) 
 
(Signed) 
Hadji Samir Hashim, Base Commander 
 
End quote 
MUSSOMELI