3 suspected Zamboanga bombers arrested

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Dec 30): 3 suspected Zamboanga bombers arrested

Police arrested 3 suspected Abu Sayyaf members who were tagged as behind the bombing in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, officials said on Tuesday.

Inspector Dahlan Samuddin, a regional police spokesman, said the three men - Marcel Jumadil, 35; Jumdan Dassan, 45; both natives of Indanan town in Sulu province, and Al-Shirit Sabdani, 49, Tandubas town in Tawi-Tawi – were arrested in separate operations in Zamboanga City hours after the bomb exploded inside the Princess Massage Parlor at Tomas Claudio Street in downtown Zamboanga late Monday.

Two people were slightly injured in the blast after an improvised explosive device went off in Room 7 in the same building that houses the De Luxe Massage and Karaoke which was also bombed in November 9.

Samuddin said Jumadil was first arrested by policemen who saw him running away from the area shortly after the blast. He said Jumadil broke down during interrogation and admitted his participation in the attack and pointed two Dassan and Sabdani as his companions.

Both Dassan and Sabdani were arrested at Aquino Drive in the village of Baliwasan.

“Prior to the explosion, the Police Regional Office 9 has received intelligence reports that members of the Abu Sayyaf group are already in Zamboanga City and they are planning to conduct bombings in order to divert the attention of authorities from the on-going military operations being conducted against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan provinces,” Samuddin said.

Police also reminded residents to stay vigilant and report to authorities any suspicious persons or abandoned bags in public areas. “Suspected members of Abu Sayyaf are taking advantage by mingling themselves with the influx of people in Zamboanga City, especially in downtown area, in order to avoid detection by authorities,” Samuddin said.        

Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar also confirmed that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device. “An IED explosion occurred at Room 7 of Princess Massage adjacent to De Luxe Massage and Videoke Bar located along Tomas Claudio Street,” she said.

Last month, a member of the police bomb squad was wounded when an improvised explosive device went off inside the bar as he and his dog searched for bombs. A second bomb also exploded in the massage parlor, but no one was injured in the blast blamed by the police and military to the Abu Sayyaf rebels.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/12/3-suspected-zamboanga-bombers-arrested.html