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| Southeast Asia |
| 2 Muslim Men With Bomb Arrested In Manila |
| 2004-05-02 |
| Philippine authorities have uncovered a bomb plot in the capital, Manila, after arresting two Muslim men with a homemade explosive near a cathedral and the elections commission office, the military said Sunday. Military intelligence agents and policemen detained the two men late Saturday in Manila’s historic Intramuros district with a 60mm mortar round converted into a bomb that could be detonated using a cell phone, the military said in a statement. It didn’t mention a suspected target. Authorities were hunting for other people believed to be involved in the suspected bomb plot based on information from the two men, said military spokesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero. The military appealed to Manila residents to remain calm and vigilant. Information from recently arrested terror suspects helped the military and police foil "a terrorist plan to sabotage an installation in Intramuros," and to arrest the would-be saboteurs, the military said. It didn’t provide details. Authorities arrested the two men in a van parked on a dimly lit street near a square where the Manila Cathedral and the national elections commission office are located, officials said. Metropolitan Manila police chief Ricardo de Leon said the bomb found in their possession was ready to be detonated. Michael Defensor, a spokesman for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a frontrunner in the May 10 presidential elections, said her three-day campaign trip starting Tuesday in southern and central provinces has been canceled due to fears of attacks by Muslim extremists. Defensor didn’t elaborate, but said the threats were serious enough "for us to change the last leg of the campaign." Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita said he didn’t think the foiled bomb plot would affect the timing of the elections but called on candidates to refrain from "excessive partisan politics that may render the situation vulnerable to exploitation by terrorist elements." Security forces have been on heightened alert ahead of the elections, and because of concerns over possible terrorist attacks. Arroyo announced on March 30 the arrests of suspected members of the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf who allegedly planned to use a cache of TNT to carry out bombings in Manila. Police said one suspect admitted planting a bomb on a ferry in late February that triggered a fire, killing more than 100 people. |
| Posted by:TS (vice girl) |
| #3 A4617 - right on! Indeed, the "Flips" (as the American Phillipinos call themselves - now catching on in Saudi) are the good guys in Saudi. I dunno if you work for Aramco, but what you say is true of those who do. When you wanted something actually done and an American or Brit wasn't in a position to help you, you skipped the Indians and PakisWakis and Saudis -- and hoped a Phillipino was somehow involved, cuz that's who you could count on to assist you. I was very happy in my engineering Dept cuz we had Phillipinos in many key admin positions - and they were invaluable in being able to actually get shit done in a system that pulled out almost all the stops to prevent succeeding. Many of my efforts to drag the Saudis (kicking and screaming because I wouldn't cooperate with them in building massive Task Forces of sycophant Saudis, heh - that's what got me canned once) into the Information Age were aided by terrific Flips. I'd trust them any day. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-05-02 7:16:21 PM |
| #2 Philippinos turning terrorists is the proof that Islam is the problem. Here in Saudi Arabia, a large part of the labor force are catholic philippinos. These people, in spite of being abused and exploited by their masters, the saudis, always have an smile in their faces and are the kindest, friendliest, gentlest and most generous people one can ever meet. They will never think of slitting their saudi masters' throats, as they very well deserve it. But, get them to read the Koran and they are ready to blow somebody up. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-05-02 2:12:59 PM |
| #1 I know it's no surprise to anyone here, but I wonder when/if the LLL will finally notice that these stories are never about Lutheran or Amish bombers. Most likely, they'd rather die of terminal PC-itis that admit that, while most Muslims may not be terrorist bombers, 99.9% of all terrorist bombers are Muslims. The LLL (and that includes the "mainstream" media) need a liberal Cluebat™ application. Soon. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-05-02 11:30:39 AM |