Defence claims Sheridan’s wrong

According to Greg Sheridan in today’s Australian the SAS have operational patrols in the Phillipines

AN elite Australian Special Air Service team of about 20 soldiers has been involved in a joint military operation in the southern Philippines to hunt down Asia’s most wanted terrorists, including two of the 2002 Bali bombers.

The SAS has been participating in a US-Philippines military campaign to eradicate the Abu Sayyaf terror outfit, which is believed to have been sheltering senior Indonesian Jemaah Islamiah terrorists Dulmatin and Umar Patek.

According to Defence, they do not have operational SAS patrols in the Philipines

Greg Sheridan’s statement in The Australian newspaper today is wrong. The ADF has not been involved in counter terrorism operations in the Philippines.

In March this year and at the invitation of the Philippines’ Government, one Special Forces officer observed the joint US and Philippines Exercise Balikatan in Zamboanga, southern Philippines. This exercise undertakes civil-military activities and does not involve operations. The Australian officer was observing the US-Philippines exercise planning process and at no time was he involved in operations of any kind. As announced in October 2005, Defence is working with the Philippines to develop an Army watercraft capability of up to 30 boats suitable for patrolling the riverine and marshland areas of Mindanao. This will not involve ADF operations in the Philippines. Over several years, the ADF has undertaken annual counter-hijack training in the Philippines, as we do with other regional countries. This activity does not involve operations. Australia does not have any ADF personnel deployed to the Philippines on operations. The Australian Government respects the Philippines Constitution which prohibits operations with foreign forces without a treaty level agreement.

Careful Greg – get it right.