Tacurong blast toll rises to 8; JI eyed in bombing

The death toll in the bomb explosion that rocked a crowded billiard hall and passenger terminal in Tacurong city has climbed to eight, the police said Wednesday. This came as police and military officials said that the explosive used was TNT or gelignite and that there were indications that local JI recruits, a group responsible of several bombings in the region including the 2002 Bali bombing in Indonesia. "We have been receiving reports about the ongoing training by JI militants somewhere in Maguindanao. The explosive that was recovered and diffuse earlier here was similar to the bomb that was used by the bombers," Brig. Gen. Danilo Garcia, commander of 601 st Infantry Brigade, told reporters. Garcia said the explosives used by the attackers were similar to that of improvised explosive device recovered and defused on April 29. Supt. Joel Limson, city police chief, even identified the suspects. He also told reporters that the JI militants who masterminded the bombing were Abdul Sabidi and Edris Saba. He did not provide any background of the duo. "Some remnants of TNT bombs were recovered by our investigators at the blast site. We are not certain if the two created the bomb or they just commissioned men to carry out the attacks," Limson said. The blast occurred around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday at a crowded passenger terminal at the corner of Bonifacio and Magsaysay streets across from a restaurant where election officials, candidates and military officers were meeting ahead of May 14 balloting. Three of eight dead victims were identified as Basiliza Landig, Ronald Reyes and Kadsa Langalen, all residents of this city. Earlier, Sr. Supt. Roberto Kinuisala, South Cotabato police director, said that they received reports that some of militants coming from Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur were out to carry attacks in the region. He said renegade Moro Islamic Liberation Front's special operation group which their Central Committee has no control were mentioned in their intelligence reports.- GMANews.TV