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SOLDIERS
intercepted and subsequently diffused a motorcycle bomb
that was allegedly assembled by a cell of the Southeast
Asian terrorist group Jema’ah Islamiyah in Maguindanao
on Tuesday.
Maj.
Armand Rico, spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command
(Easmincom) based in Davao City, said the motorcycle,
laden with half kilo of TNT, was seized at a checkpoint
in Ampatuan town about 5 p.m. by members of the Army’s
64th Infantry Battalion.
He said
the motorcycle bomb, which was on its way to Davao, was
assembled in Mamasapano town, also in Maguindanao, by a
Davao-based terrorist cell under a certain Abdullan.
Meanwhile, soldiers also seized cannon and mortar rounds
inside a warehouse in downtown Tacurong City in Sultan
Kudarat on Wednesday morning.
Soldiers
from the Army’s Task Force Talakudong raided at 8:15
a.m. the Southern Metal and Furnishing Center in Apilado
Subdivision, barangay Poblacion, Tacurong City, after
they received information about the alleged ammunitions.
Rico
said soldiers found ammunitions for 105mm (two rounds),
four 81mm (four) and 60mm (two).
One of
the ammunition was already sawed at the tip by a certain
Lito, the warehouse caretaker, although the report filed
with the Easmincom by the 6th Infantry Division did not
say which type was tinkered.
The
recovered items were turned over to the Explosives and
Ordnance Division of the 6th Infantry Division for
proper disposition. The owner of the warehouse, a
certain Marilou Fernandez, and her workers were invited
for questioning.
Rico
said the soldiers established checkpoints in the
villages of Saniag and Kauran after military
intelligence agents passed on information about a
motorcycle that was rigged with a bomb and would
supposedly pass the areas.
The
local military spokesman said the motorcycle ran into a
flat tire before it could reach the checkpoint set up at
the village of Saniag, forcing its driver to leave and
escape.
“Our
operatives were able to monitor it so we established
blockages at the probable areas where it [motorcycle]
will pass. We were lucky that before [the motorcycle]
reached our blockade, [it] had a flat tire and he
[driver] hurriedly escaped,” he said.
“The IED
[improvised explosive device] was composed of TNT placed
inside the air cleaner of said motorcycle, connected to
a cell phone that served as a triggering device,” Rico
said.
He added
the bomb was diffused by a joint team of military and
police explosive experts five hours later.
Rico
said the military is still conducting follow up
operations. |
