A grenade exploded at a public market in the southern Philippines, injuring one person, a military spokesman said on Tuesday. The blast damaged several wooden stalls selling rice at the public market in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, on Monday afternoon. Colonel Fredesvindo Covarrubias said authorities were still investigating the attack, which occured despite tightened security for the Christmas holidays. âWe still donât know who was behind the explosion,â he said, adding that no individual or group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Philippine military has been on alert during the holidays to prevent terrorist attacks. Jolo is a stronghold of the Al Qaeda-linked Moslem Abu Sayyaf rebel group, which is blamed for numerous bombings, killings and kidnappings. Earlier in the month, a top leader of the rebel group was captured when he was seriously wounded on both legs during a clash with government soldiers on Jolo. Philippine security forces have been on red alert against possible retaliatory attacks for the capture of Abu Sayyaf leader Ghalib Andang, alias Stumpy Commander Robot. Intelligence reports have also warned that some 31 operatives of the Jakarta-based terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, were training in the country and could launch test missions soon. |