[Gulf Today] The Philippine military averted a major disaster by defusing a powerful improvised bomb planted by suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf on the island province of Basilan.Senior Inspector Gean Gallardo said the bomb was planted along a busy but dimly-lit major road in Lamitan City on Monday night. He said explosives experts succeeded in defusing the bomb before it could be detonated. The bomb was fashioned out from a milk can filled with nails, wires and ammonium nitrate fuel oil.
Authorities believe the aborted bombing was in retaliation for the killing of three Abu Sayyaf militants in an clash with elite rangers in the town of Sumisip on Sunday afternoon.
Navy Commander Roy Vincent Trinidad said four rangers were injured in that encounter with the Abu Sayyaf. The clash involved at least 50 Abu Sayyaf militants in a 40-minute gun battle before they fled, leaving behind four slain comrades.