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Southeast Asia
Breaking news: Blast rocks Philippines airport
2003-03-04
The religion of peace is expressing itself intelligently and articulately again...
An explosion has ripped through Davao City airport on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, killing at least 15 people. Local TV reported that many others had been injured, among them children. According to initial reports, the explosive went off at around 5:15pm in the arrivals hall, airport authorities said. The presidential adviser for Mindanao affairs, Jesus Dureza, told Reuters news agency that the cause of the blast was still unknown. "We don't know whether it's a bomb or a grenade," he said. There is also no information on who was behind the blast.
Any guesses?!
In the past, rebels from the Moronic Islamic Liberation Front have been blamed by the military for a string of attacks on the island... The Abu Sayyaf militant group has also been blamed for bomb attacks in the region. Tuesday's explosion "happened ... a few minutes after a Cebu Pacific flight arrived, and people packed the waiting area," an airport security official said. "There were many people killed. I saw six persons killed on the spot."
I wonder if this will be the atrocity that causes the Philippines government to stop yakking with them and clean them out, which is the only thing that's going to work...
The island is mired in factional fighting, with government troops clashing regularly with Muslim separatist rebels. The rebels have been fighting for a separate Muslim homeland in the southern Philippines for three decades. The Philippine army said on Tuesday it had killed 14 rebels in fighting on the island. Mindanao was also hit by a major power cut on Tuesday, for the second time in a week, amid rumours of a suspected sabotage by guerrilla groups.
"So we want an independent state. But how're we gonna go about getting it?"
"I've thought hard about this one, Mohammed. We want to achieve our objective as quickly and as efficiently as possible, showing we're responsible people who deserve respect from our neighbours. I think we should kill people."
"Kill people, I like it."
"Yeah, blow up people at airports, anywhere really."
"Great."
"I'll get us some explosives then."
"Can't wait to see those limbs flying."
"Is it time to pray again yet?"
"Yeah."

FOLLOWUP:

Two explosions rocked Davao City and Davao del Norte yesterday afternoon, killing at least 26 and injuring more than 100, the latest in a wave of violence that hit Mindanao since fighting resumed between the military and Muslim rebels. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu denied that MILF fighters carried out the bombings, saying that the attack on the Davao City airport could have been the result of an internal management dispute.
Of course, every time Eid issues a statement, it always turns out to be a lie...
Posted by:Bulldog

#3  Did they hurry up and do these operations for fear that KSM would squeal? Or just the usual MILF lunacy?
Posted by: Patrick Phillips   2003-03-04 14:52:16  

#2  It's up to three bombings now: Three people were slightly injured when a bomb exploded outside a government building in the southern Philippines city of Tagum, minutes after a powerful bomb killed at least 18 in nearby Davao airport, officials said. It was the third reported bomb attack to hit the south today. An explosion also ripped through a bus terminal in Davao, but there were no reports of casualties. Tagum City chief of police Marcelo Pintac told DZBB radio that an unidentified man planted a "homemade explosive" at the fence of the city health office, which exploded at 6pm. "The police right now are on high alert and are guarding vital installations. Three people had minor injuries because of the blast," Pintac said.
Posted by: Steve   2003-03-04 14:26:02  

#1  Hey, it's just more striving for personal improvement. You know, that Jihad thing.
Posted by: Jabba the Tutt   2003-03-04 10:18:39  

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