Sunday, June 24, 2007 Cops probe 'one-armed' suspect in seized car bomb
KORONADAL CITY -- Police are looking into alleged participation of a "one-armed" suspect in the car bomb seized Wednesday in Surallah, South Cotabato.
The "one-armed bandit," Edris Sabal, has been implicated in last month's powerful explosion in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat that killed at least three persons and wounded nearly 30 others.
Felizardo Serapio, Central Mindanao Police Director, said witnesses saw a one-armed man left the car bomb at a busy intersection in Surallah.
Serapio said they would match the cartographic sketch of the suspects to the picture gallery of Sabal, allegedly a member of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.
Sabal was arrested in this city in 2003 following a bomb attack outside KCC Mall.
He allegedly planted the bomb but it went off prematurely.
The suspect lost his right arm in the incident.
He was charged with frustrated murder and possession of explosives but was able to post bail.
Serapio urged other witnesses to come out in helping authorities arrest the persons behind the car packed with explosive devices.
Military bomb experts recovered nine .60 millimeter mortars, an 81 millimeter mortar and a 90 millimeter anti-tank recoilless rifle shell attached to the inside of the car.
Also taken from the vehicle are 3 and 3/4 kilos of black powder and TNT, around four kilos of an estimated 2 1/2 inch nails, batteries and wirings. Serapio asked for extra public vigilance to foil future terror attempts in the region. (BSS)
