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| Terror Networks |
| Bomb attacks kill 14, wound 60 in Philippines |
| 2002-04-21 |
| At least 14 people were killed and 60 others wounded in several bomb explosions in the southern Philippine city of General Santos. Nineteen of the wounded were in serious condition. All the casualties were victims of a bomb explosion in front of a busy department store. Minutes later, another bomb was hurled from a passing car as it went over a bridge but there were no reports of any casualties. According to local television, more than two explosions could have occurred in General Santos. Police received numerous reports of other bombs but they were found to be false alarms. Hours before the blasts, cellular telephone text messages had circulated in General Santos, saying 18 bombs would explode in the city. Most of the fatalities were street vendors or people shopping on their day off. The deadly bomb was hidden in an empty motorized tricycle parked in front of the Fitmark Department Store. No group had claimed responsibility for the bombs. Police were in "hot pursuit" of a suspect. Police have set up checkpoints and dispatched bomb sniffing dogs to prevent against further explosions. The explosions could be the work of an obscure group called the Indigenous People's Federal Army or other "lawless" groups, including extortionists who had been threatening local businesses. The Federal Army claimed to have planted several bombs last month in Manila and the southern Philippines, none of which were meant to explode. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |