Incident Summary:
05/04/2003: Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) raided the mining town in Siocon, Philippines. MILF attacked the military headquarters and the municipal police station and kidnapped fifteen civilians in the incident. Two soldiers, six policemen, and eight civilians died and eight soldiers and fifteen civilians were wounded in the attack. Eleven hostages were freed by the end of the day. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu confirmed the attack, saying eleven rebels were wounded and two were killed in the raid.
Overview
GTD ID:
200305040001
When:
2003-05-04
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Southeast Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Zamboanga del Norte
City:
Siocon
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Military |
Name of Entity |
Philippine Military |
Specific Description |
A Philippine military headquarters in Siocon, Philippines |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Target Type: Military |
Name of Entity |
Philippine Police |
Specific Description |
The municipal police station in Siocon, Philippines |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Civilians |
Specific Description |
Indiscriminate citizens in Siocon, Philippines |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
15 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Outcome |
Combination |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Among the hostage held by the group were the wife and child of town mayor Cesar Soriano. The four un-freed hostages were used as human shields by MILF members against the soldiers that were pursuing them. The outcome of the four remaining hostages was unreported. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
18 Fatalities / 34 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
18 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
2 |
Total Number of Injured |
34 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
11 |
Sources
Sources
"Muslim rebels abduct 13 civilians, kill soldier in Southern Philippines," Agence France Presse, May 04, 2003. |
"11 hostages rescued in southern Philippines," Xinhua, May 04, 2003. |
"Arroyo condemns Moslem rebel attack that killed 25," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, May 04, 2003. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties