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MANILA, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Monday ordered the police and the military to hunt down the people involved in
the ferry blast in the southern Philippines.
President Arroyo condemned in a statement the terrorist attack on Sunday
morning in Basilan leaving 30 injured as a "crime against peace and humanity."
"We shall continue to comb all the known lairs of terrorist cells in the
cities and countryside and cripple if not decimate them," Arroyo said.
The military has confirmed that the blast was caused by a home-made
bombing, which was usually used by the Abu Sayyaf rebels. However, so far nobody
has claimed responsibility for the attack.
"Terrorism will always strive to frustrate our efforts at peaceand
development and disrupt the day-to-day to enterprise of ordinary citizens but we
shall not be cowed," she added.
The president also expressed the sympathy with the victims, seven of whom
were children, and vowed to provide them with the government assistance.
The ferry attack occurred 18 months after suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits
bombed the Super Ferry 14 near Manila, killing more than 100 people.
According to a report from the South Korean intelligence authorities, the Philippines has been listed as an attack target by al-Qaeda terrorist group, and the government earlier again raised the public alert and urged the Congress to pass the anti-terrorism law. Enditem |