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CNN Live Saturday

U.S. Steps up Military Presence in Philippines

Aired February 16, 2002 - 22:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. has stepped up its military presence in the Philippines, site of the new front in the war on terrorism. More U.S. special forces arrived there today under tight security.

And CNN's Jonathan Aiken has more from the Pentagon now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONATHAN AIKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The war on terrorism finds U.S. forces engaged in their largest build-up outside of Afghanistan. It is happening in the Philippines, where this weekend, 30 members of U.S. special forces groups arrived in Mendenau (ph), a cluster of islands in the center of the Philippine island chain.

They have arrived on the city of Isembawonga (ph), in which they will join about 660 other U.S. troops before too long. They're all going to be engaged for the next six months in an effort to train and advise Philippine military forces, and also engage in war games.

The real effort in this, behind this action, is to help the Philippine military crush Muslim insurgent group, known as Abu-Sayef. Now Abu-Sayef is a group that has been around for some time. They claim to be seeking independence for a cluster of predominantly Muslim islands located in the southern end of the Philippine island chain, but others have said that the group is more about money than power.

The government in Manila has fought them for some time. In fact, they put 5,000 soldiers on Basilan Island, which is a small island across the strait of water from where the U.S. troops are now gathering. Basilan is the home base for Abu Sayef. And over the past year, about 5,000 Philippine soldiers have been playing hit and run with under 100 Abu Sayef guerrillas. They were a small group, but they are a violent group, not afraid to use violence in an effort to further their aim, which at the moment seem to be kidnappings and ransom.

They are currently holding some hostages, a Filipino nurse, and also a pair of American missionaries from Wichita, Kansas, Martin and Gracia Burnham. This couple was last seen on Basilan Island, under the control of Abu Sayef forces roughly about a month ago.

The Pentagon says U.S. forces, while they are engaged in these activities, will not be able to use their weapons for anything other than self-defense. And we should that the Philippine constitution prevents what it considers to be foreign troops, to engage in fighting on its soil.

(on camera): We should also tell you though that some U.S. troops did arrive on Basilan Island today, accompanied by Filipino forces. The Americans were armed with assault rifles. They were wearing bulletproof vests and night goggles.

Jonathan Aiken for CNN at the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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