Islamic militants may be behind film piracy: Philippines official

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

MANILA (AFP) — Al-Qaeda linked Islamic militants are suspected of rampant intellectual piracy in the Philippines, particularly of Hollywood films, to raise funds, a senior media industry official said Wednesday.

The Abu Sayyaf, blamed for the worst terrorist attacks in the Southeast Asian country, were likely behind the illegal copying of movies onto DVDS, which are then peddled at Manila shops by migrant Muslim traders, Optical Media Board chairman Edu Manzano said.

The government agency has been cracking down on the trade, but he said in an interview over ABS-CBN television that this has not stemmed the tide of counterfeits.

Manzano said many armed groups around the world traffic in counterfeits to raise funds, and the Abu Sayyaf would be no exception....