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The United States and Britain Wednesday updated their travel advisories against the Philippines, warning their nationals of possible terrorist attacks across the country during this Lenten break.
In its fresh bulletin, the British government said that terrorists in the country are in the "final stages of planning an attack that could occur anytime".
The US government, on the other hand, has revised its public announcement for Americans based on reports of Philippine authorities that terrorist reprisal from the Abu Sayyaf group is possible, Foreign Affairs spokesman Gilberto Asuque said.
Four leaders of the Abu Sayyaf group, which is notorious for the abduction of foreign tourists in a Malaysian resort in 2000 and beheadings of its captives, were killed in a police assault last week after it seized a prison in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, British citizens were discouraged from traveling to central, southern and western Mindanao, and the Sulu archipelago including Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Jolo, where military police operations against terrorist and rebel groups are continuing and where kidnappings and bombings have taken place.
The advisory noted that extremist groups such as Abu Sayyaf group and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front remain active.
"There is a high threat from terrorism throughout the Philippines. There continue to be threats against Western interests and there is a danger of collateral damage from terrorist attacks targeted at others. We believe that terrorists are in the final stages of planning an attack. However, attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in the Philippines," the advisory said.
It also cited warning by Philippine authorities that there may be bomb attacks in Manila and other key cities that prompted law enforcement agencies to deploy 15,000 policemen in malls, churches and vital installations across Manila for the Easter holidays.
"We believe that terrorist and criminal elements are continuing with plans to kidnap Filipinos and Westerners. Westerners have been targeted before, particularly in the southern Philippines and coastal resorts, and may still be considered an attractive target," the advisory said.
While the Philippine government is working to neutralize the terrorist and kidnapping threat, the travel advisory noted that it has tightened security in Metro Manila and other areas considered at high risk, including airports and seaports.
(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2005)
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