 |
|
American and Filipino investigators examine the blast site in Zamboanga City
|
ZAMBOANGA,
Philippines, October 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - At least
five people were killed and 144 others were wounded, many critically, in
bomb attacks in the southern Philippines city of Zamboanga Thursday,
October 16, officials said.
Three
people were instantly killed when the first explosion hit the
Shop-O-Rama department store. Minutes later, two others were killed when
a second bomb went off at a nearby store, police said.
About
70 of those wounded sustained shrapnel injuries and were rushed to the
Zamboanga City Medical Center, while the rest were taken to the three
other hospitals, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
The
blasts are the latest in a spate of bomb attacks in the troubled
southern Philippines this month.
Zamboanga
City Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat, who visited the victims, said five were
killed and 144 wounded in the blasts. “I feel terrible. This is an
unfortunate tragedy,” she said.
Shops
were shut and schoolchildren were sent home after the explosions.
“I
was there at the hospital and the city is helping out with the medicines
and whatever they need,” Lobregat said, adding that President Gloria
Arroyo had assured her that her top security officials were on the way
to help in the investigation.
Meanwhile,
the Philippine military tagged a leader of the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping
group as behind the bomb attacks.
Military
spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Danilo Servando said the bombs used in
Thursday’s attack in Zamboanga city were the same type used in an
October 2 bombing that killed a U.S. serviceman and three Filipinos, AFP
said.
“We
are looking at the group of Khadaffy Janjalani as primarily responsible
for the incident. The bombs recovered were similar to the ones used in
the Malagutay explosion,” he said, adding that in both instances TNT
was used.
However,
he said the military was not ruling out other suspects in the bombings
of two shopping centers in Zamboanga City that killed at least five and
wounded 144 others.
Janjalani
is a leader of the Abu Sayyaf group which the U.S. has accused of being
linked to the Al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.
Abu
Sayyaf forces are the target of a military operation in the southern
island of Jolo where they are still holding three Indonesian seamen and
four Christian preachers whom they abducted earlier this year.
Thursday’s
attacks were the latest in the troubled southern Philippines this month
and security officials had earlier warned of terrorist attacks here in
the wake of the Bali car bombing in Indonesia, which killed more than
180 people.
In
other attacks in the southern Philippines this month, a U.S. serviceman
and three Filipinos were killed in an October 2 bomb attack near an army
arms depot.
Six
other people were killed and more than 20 others wounded in a similar
attack eight days later in southern Kidapawan city.
Armed
forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Danilo Servando said TNT was used in
the October 2 attack and Thursday’s blasts.
“We
are looking at the group of Khadaffy Janjalani as primarily responsible
for the incident. The bombs recovered were similar to the ones used in
the Malagutay explosion (On October 2),” he said.
Janjalani
is the overall leader of the Abu Sayyaf group wanted by the U.S.
government for the kidnapping and murder of U.S. nationals.
Police
said 16 people, including two Turks and a Malaysian, have been brought
in for questioning in connection with Thursday’s attacks, but refused
to say if they were suspects.
“We
are just inviting them. They can give us information because at the time
(of the blasts) they were there,” Police Chief Inspector Hado Iding
said.
Eyewitnesses
saw the 16 entering police vehicles without handcuffs.
Officials
meanwhile said two suspects had been arrested for the Kidapawan bombing
last week and two others were still at large but are being pursued.
|
|
Palestine:
Sharon To Meet Bush To Discuss
U.S. Attack on Iraq
Peres Defends Oslo, Says
Far-Right's Blindness to Bring Catastrophe
Hezbollah to Retaliate
"Within Minutes" If Israel Hits Water Project
Five Israelis Injured In A Bus Shooting
Israel Abducts, Then Releases, Top Palestinian Muslim Official, Ekrima Sabri
Iraq:
Chirac Against One U.N.
Resolution, Denies Iraq’s Link to Al-Qaeda
All Iraqis Vote For Saddam,
Opposition Cries Foul Play
Bush’s Campaign Against Iraq
May Lead to His Impeachment
On Wheelchairs, Iraqi Handicaps
Vote for Saddam
Kuwaiti Teen With 10 Molotov Cocktails Arrested Near U.S. Military Complex
Turkey’s Erdogan Resigns Top Party Post
Saddam Did Not Threaten to Attack Qatar, Says FM
Lynching 5 Dalits in Police Presence Exposes India’s Inhuman Caste System
Churchmen Urge Arabs to Defend Iraq Against New War
Bali C4 Standard Military Explosive Manufactured in U.S.
Israeli Tanks Kill 8 Palestinians, Including 2 Children
“Temple of Solomon” Calendar Causes Uproar in South Africa
Bangladesh Blasts Time Magazine
Story
Yemen Admits “Terrorist Act” Behind Tanker Blast
Second Australian Mosque Bombed, Threats of More Attacks
Indonesian Police to Name Two Suspects in Bali Blast
At Least 5 Killed, 144 Wounded in Philippine Blasts
Hindu Extremist Calls For Suicide Squads to Fight “Islamic Terrorism”
Egypt Celebrates Rebirth of
Ancient Alexandria Library
Bali Blast Heinous, Terrorist
Crime, Say Al-Azhar Grand Imam, IWL
Lebanon Inaugurates Wazzani
Project Despite Israeli Threats
India To Cut Troops From
Pakistan Borders
U.S. Army Set To Join
Washington Sniper Hunt
U.S. Boycotts Lebanon’s Water
Project Opposed By Israel
CIA Trapped in Its Own Game in
Indonesia: Analysts
Jordanian Officials: Committees Against Normalizing With Israel “Illegal”
Pakistani Islamic Alliance To
Nominate Scholar For PM Post
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
