Thursday, August 17, 2006
Troops seize explosives in ferry in Jolo (4:30 p.m.)
By Al Jacinto
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Soldiers seized thousands of blasting caps Thursday in the restive southern Philippine island of Jolo, where security forces are pursuing two Jemaah Islamiya bombers and members of the Abu Sayyaf group, blamed for the string of attacks against civilian and government targets, officials said.
Officials said soldiers seized 3,000 blasting caps from a ferry MV Evergreen bound for Tawi-Tawi island and another 3,000 blasting caps at the busy port of Jolo , said Lt. Col. Susthenes Valcorza, a spokesman for the military's Southern Command, said. "Authorities were investigating whether the blasting caps are intended for the Abu Sayyaf or Jemaah Islamiya," he said.
Alkramer Izquierdo, the mayor of Jolo, said troops arrested a man believed to be the courier of the explosives. "He is being interrogated. We don't know the man's background or why he was carrying blasting caps," he said.
Valcorza said soldiers inspected the ferry and found no other explosives or bombs.
"Blasting caps are really dangerous and often used by terrorists as detonator for homemade bombs and explosives. It's good that we have recovered these blasting caps," Lt. Col. Susthenes Valcorza, a spokesman for the military's Southern Command, said.
The ferry left Zamboanga City late Wednesday and arrived in Jolo the next day to unload and pick up passengers and cargoes and then sail for Tawi-Tawi and back to Zamboanga. |
