Boat explosion injures cop in Tawi-Tawi province

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 4, 2008) – An explosion injured a policeman onboard a speedboat transporting the governor of Tawi-Tawi island and his wife, reports said Tuesday.

Governor Sadikul Sahali and his wife were unhurt in the blast which occurred Monday morning off Sapa-Sapa town. The wounded policeman was rushed to hospital in the capital town of Bonggao.

It was not immediately known what caused the explosion. (Mindanao Examiner)

Filipino Terror Suspect Nabbed In South

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 15, 2007) – Philippine police arrested an Abu Sayyaf militant implicated in the 2000 kidnapping of Asian and European holiday-makers in Malaysia’s island resort of Sipadan, police said on Monday.

Police said the Manguna Mali was arrested inside a cockpit arena in the town of Bonggao in the remote Tawi-Tawi province near Sabah. It did not say if Mali was armed or not when captured or whether he was on a mission or just hiding in Tawi-Tawi.

Mali did not resist arrest when policemen cornered him on Sunday in Tubig-boh village. He is being interrogated at a police headquarters in Zamboanga City on his alleged participation in the cross-border raid where his group snatched 21 people.

The hostages were brought to the southern Philippines by boat and had been freed several months later after Libya reportedly paid $14 million for the safe release of the victims.

Philippine authorities linked the Abu Sayyaf to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya terror network. The group has been implicated in the spate of bombings and kidnappings in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)