| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Charles Farley" |
| Date: |
12 Dec 2004 10:17:55 PM |
| Object: |
Muslims Massacre Holiday Shoppers at Crowded Store |
Philippines blast kills at least 11
Dec 13 2004
AP - A powerful explosion rocked a public market packed with Christmas
shoppers in the southern Philippines, killing at least 11 people and
injuring nearly 30 others, police say.
The mid-afternoon blast, apparently from a homemade bomb or a grenade
concealed in a box, killed three people instantly and destroyed at
least two stalls in the market's meat section in General Santos city,
police Superintendent Willy Dangane said.
Eight other people later died in hospitals, police investigator
Captain Maximo Sebastian told The Associated Press.
"The market was packed with people because there were Christmas
shoppers there, and the explosion was powerful," Sebastian said.
Police cordoned off the area, fearing more explosives may have been
planted, radio reports said.
Despite a crackdown by the military and police, Muslim militants have
staged bomb attacks and maintain a presence in General Santos, a
bustling port city 1,000 kilometres south of Manila.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=24459
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| User: "Charles Farley" |
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| Title: Re: Muslims Massacre Holiday Shoppers at Crowded Store |
13 Dec 2004 07:14:17 AM |
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More details emerge...
The Philippine Star
December 13, 2004
GenSan market blast kills 15
By John Paul Jubelag
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- At least 15 people, one of them a five-year-old
boy, were killed and 52 others wounded when a powerful explosion rocked
a public market here packed with Christmas shoppers yesterday, military
and police officials said.
Three people died on the spot, one of them a woman suspected to have
been a suicide bomber, according to acting city police director
Superintendent Willie Dangane, citing powder burns found on the woman's
hands.
Twelve other people later died in a hospital, one of them five-year-old
Mike Elasmedo, said Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Alexander Yano.
The blast, which reports said came from an improvised bomb, occurred at
the meat section of the General Santos City public market at around
3:40 p.m., Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Senior
Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said.
Army spokesman Maj. Bartolome Bacarro said 52 people were hurt.
Hospital authorities fear the number of fatalities could rise as many
of those wounded were in serious condition.
"The earth shook," said one dazed woman. "It was a loud explosion."
Shoppers and merchants fled the market in panic after the explosion. At
least two stalls were destroyed.
"The market was packed with people because there were Christmas
shoppers there, and the explosion was powerful," police investigator
Capt. Maximo Sebastian said.
Police cordoned off the area, fearing more explosives may have been
planted, radio reports said.
The last bombing incident in this city took place in April 2002 at
Fitmart Mall which killed 15 people and wounded 50 others.
In yesterday's attack, two of those instantly killed were identified
as market vendors Erning Plasabas and Rene Causing.
Apart from the five-year-old boy, those who died while at St. Elizabeth
Hospital were identified as Ruchma Adam, 35, Jocelyn Binas and Precious
Jean Gal, both 17.
Seven others died at the Doctors' Hospital. They were Rosalinda
Morales, Eduardo Binas, Divina Panaligan, Digoy Sabilita, Jemuel
Plasabas and a still unidentified 10-year-old boy.
A two-month old girl, Romelyn Maceda, and her mother Glenda of Barangay
Fatima in this city were among those hit by shrapnel on different parts
of their bodies. They were in critical condition at St. Elizabeth's.
Jun Catolico, a barangay kagawad in Dadiangas South where the public
market is located, claimed to have received information last Friday
that the ill-fated mart was a target of an imminent terrorist attack.
"I immediately told (police) city director Willie Dangane about it
(and) prompted him to send more police troops to the area," Catolico
said.
Bobby Villamor, keeper of a meat stall adjacent to the "Aliligay Meat
Stand" where the bomb had apparently gone off, said he saw an
unidentified man buying meat at the store carrying a basket full of
vegetables.
After buying meat, the man said to be in his thirties and described as
having a slim frame, about 5'4" tall and wearing a white shirt, left
the basket he bought and told the vendor he would come back for it
later.
"(A) few minutes after the unidentified man left the stall, the bomb
exploded. Fortunately, I was standing more than five meters away from
the explosion site," Villamor said.
Despite a crackdown by the military and police, Muslim militants have
staged bomb attacks and maintain presence in General Santos, a bustling
port city 1,000 kilometers south of Manila.
The bombing came a day after the British Embassy warned its citizens
against traveling to the Philippines, citing a continuing threat of
terrorism in Mindanao and some reports of grenade-throwing in Metro
Manila in recent months.
The last bombing incident in this city took place in April 2002 at
Fitmart Mall which killed 15 people and wounded 50 others.
The Islamic terror group Abu Sayyaf, which appear on the United States'
list of terror groups, claimed responsibility for a bomb that killed
more than 100 people on a ferry leaving Manila in February.
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200412130404.htm
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