Monday, February 2, 2015

Slain bomber in premature blast in North Cotabato linked to previous bombings

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 2): Slain bomber in premature blast in North Cotabato linked to previous bombings

Military authorities here Monday said one of the two men who died in a premature explosion of an improvised bomb they were carrying was involved in the public market bombing in Mlang on December 31.

Mlang Mayor Joselito Pinol said he was informed by an Army intelligence officer that one of the two suspects was seen by witnesses near the entrance of the public market at the time the IED went off. He hurriedly left after the blast.

Senior Inspector Sindatu Karim, Pikit police chief, said the two victims of premature explosion, Asraf Mohammad and Jomar Palaguyan, both of Pikit, were students of Malaysian bomber Zulkifli Bi Hir alias Marwan and Abdul Bassit Usman.

Pinol, citing military intelligence reports, said one of the two served as lookout when the suspect planted the improvised bomb at the main entrance of the public market during New Year's eve shopping rush.

Pinol said an Army intelligence official told him that one of the suspected bombers was killed along with his companion while in the process of transporting a 60-mm improvised explosive device (IED).

“I was informed by our sources in the military. Actually they asked for the artist sketches of the December 31 blast that is why they compared the identity of those killed. And one of them matches with the suspects in Mlang bombing,” Pinol told dxND Radyo Bida here.

However, Pinol could not say who among the two suspects in Pikit premature blast served as look out in the second Mlang bombing.

“We will wait for the results of the investigation," Pinol said.

“While there is report of the alleged death of one suspected bombers responsible for the Mlang blast, we will continue our tight security to prevent a similar incident in the future,” the mayor said.

“Let us not lower our guard. Let us unite to protect our beloved Mlang,” Pinol told the people of Mlang.

Two were killed and 34 others were wounded when suspected bombers set off the improvised bomb at the market entrance when people were busy for the New Year's Eve shopping rush.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=731607

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