Mujahid, a Muslim convert, had reportedly met with several leaders of non-governmental organizations suspected as fronts for the al-Qaeda terrorist network. "Mujahid and Stubbs were suspected of involvement in the financial network of al-Qaeda similar movements in the country, notably the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group and MILF," said the Philippine Navy flag officer in command, Vice Admiral Ernesto de Leon. MILF, the largest Muslim rebel organization in the country, is waging a secessionist war in the Southern Philippines. It has repeatedly denied any link with foreign terrorist organizations, especially Jemaah Islamiah and al-Qaeda, which was responsible for the deadly September 11th 2001 attacks in New York.
The government and MILF are now observing a cease-fire in preparation for the resumption of peace talks early this year in Kuala Lumpur. The Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff, Lt. General Rodolfo Garcia, said it is possible that some factions within MILF do not favor the peace talks and maintain links with al-Qaeda, but this does not apply to the MILF as a whole. A recent meeting in Davao City of the Coordinating Committee for the Cessation of Hostilities (of which Garcia is co-Chairman) showed that a faction of MILF opposes the peace negotiations. "These are the people who support the cause of other terrorist organizations, local or foreign," he said. "I believe that the MILF leadership has nothing to do with terrorism."
MILF Chairman Hashim Salamat, shortly before his death in July, vowed that his organization would reject any kind of terrorism to achieve its goal. But Mujahid and Stubbs reportedly were not only in touch with some factions of MILF. They were also in contact with the couriers of the Abu Sayyaf faction in Basilan province as evidenced by Mujahid's phone call early this year to the detained Abu Sayyaf leader Ibrahim Sali, which was intercepted by the military.
