Philippine justifies possible U.S. assistance in S. Philippine clash

Malacanang, the Philippine presidential palace, said Tuesday it does not see anything wrong if the United States assisted Philippine authorities in the operation against two suspected terrorists in the southern province of Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that Zulkifli bin Hir, and Abdul Basit Usman, the high-value targets of the police operation, were terrorists.

He said that terrorism is a "transnational crime" and the Philippines has been coordinating and cooperating with the United States and other countries in the fight against terrorism.

Any cooperation that United States might have provided to the Philippines to neutralize the suspected terrorists could be in the form of "information sharing or technical intelligence," he said.

But Coloma said that under the Philippine laws, direct foreign participation on law enforcement and other types of security operation is prohibited.

Zulkifli, who was on the terror list of the United States, was neutralized in the operation, while Usman escaped. Enditem