Bomb found in Sultan Kudarat inn

By Edwin Fernandez

COTABATO CITY, Philippines -– Authorities on Thursday seized a bomb tucked under a hotel bed in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat and arrested two suspects, police said Friday.
As of posting time, Senior Inspector Fernando Dialogo, Isulan police chief, declined to name the suspects.

But Dialogo said the bomb was discovered 8:30 a.m. Thursday by a worker of the Clarita Lodging House while cleaning the room being occupied by the suspects.
The hotel staff immediately informed authorities about the find, Dialogo said.
He said the bomb, fitted with a timer, was placed in a large shoebox and was hidden under the bed when recovered.

It was fashioned out of 81-millimeter mortar shell, similar to the ones that exploded in Central Mindanao last year.

Dialogo said they were trying to find out if the arrested suspects had something to do with previous attacks in the region, which have been blamed on the al-Khobar gang, described as an extortion group with links to the Jemaah Islamiyah.

The gang claimed responsibility for last week’s explosion in front of the Philbest canning factory in Barangay (village) Bawing in General Santos City, that killed four people and hurt 27 others.
The military has also said Malaysian terror suspect Zulkifli bin Hir, who is on the United States’ wanted list, has been seen going around Central Mindanao, composed of the provinces of North and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani.

Major General Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the 6th Infantry Division, said Zulkifli, also known as Marwan, is looking for recruits to train as local terrorists. "We monitored his presence training local terrorists. He is moving around Central Mindanao," Ferrer said.

He said members of the military's intelligence group are trying to pinpoint the exact location of the Malaysian terror suspect, who allegedly heads the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM).
Washington authorized a new reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Zulkifli, an engineer trained in bomb-making.

Ferrer said the military is also working with the police for the arrest of Zulkifli.