U.S. Legislator Visits American Troops in Philippines

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 02, 2002

U.S. Legislator Visits American Troops in Philippines

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U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher flew to the southern Philippines Saturday to visit the American troops there helping the local military in combating the Abu Sayyaf group with alleged links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

Rohrabacher, chairman of the U.S. House committee on foreign affairs, met with Brigadier General Donald Wurster, commanding officer of the 1,000-strong U.S. contingent participating in the ongoing joint military exercises in the southern Philippines, the Philippine Star online news reported.

The Californian legislator did not issue any statement about his visit, but Philippine National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said he assessed the joint exercises that started in January and the condition of the U.S. troops.

Rohrabacher also inspected projects undertaken by U.S. military engineers in Basilan, where the Abu Sayyaf has been holding the American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham for a year, the military said.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz is said coming on Sunday for a two-day visit for consultations with the Philippine government on defense cooperation issues.

His visit comes amid reports that U.S. defense officials are debating a recommendation by Thomas Fargo, commander of the U.S. forces in the Pacific, to move the American soldiers in Basilan closer to search for the Burnhams.

The U.S. government announced on Wednesday it is offering a reward of 5 million U.S. dollars for information leading to the capture of five top Abu Sayyaf leaders.

Wolfowitz will be the fifth high-ranking official from Washington and Pentagon to visit the country since this year. Others who have visited Manila are Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Roberto Mueller, Thomas Fargo and his predecessor Dennis Blair, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers.

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