Man caught with bomb 'is MILF member'

The separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday admitted that a man who was recently arrested by the military for transporting a bomb in southern Philippines, was one of their members, but said that the suspect was "framed" by authorities.

Sulaiman Ismael, also know by his alias, Abu Hashim, was arrested on Monday by soldiers manning a checkpoint in the village of Dado in North Cotabato's Alamada town. But the military did not announce his capture until his interrogation was over, security sources said.

Found in his possession was a bomb consisting of a 60mm mortar shell fixed to a timer. Sources said the device is powerful enough to destroy a small building.

In an interview with reporters, MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu, confirmed the arrest of Sulaiman, but he denied the rebel leader was a terrorist.

He said Sulaiman was arrested and framed by the military and police authorities. "He was arrested, but Sulaiman was not carrying a bomb. The explosive was only planted on him later by the authorities," Kabalu told reporters.

He said Sulaiman is an MILF leader, in charge of training rebel forces inside the MILF's Abdurahman Bedis Academy in the former Camp Abubakr Siddique in Maguindanao.

The government took over the MILF base camp in an offensive in June 2000.

"He is not a terrorist. They have fabricated accusations against Abu Hashim and we condemn his arrest," Kabalu said. "We are exerting all efforts to seek his release."

He said the military handed over Sulaiman to the police in North Cotabato province on Thursday. "We don't know what happened to him since then," he said.

A regional army spokesman Major Julieto Ando has confirmed the arrest, but would not say if Sulaiman was an MILF leader. "Sulaiman Ismael was carrying a powerful bomb when arrested by soldiers. He is now in jail," he said.

The bomb was the same type used by suspected MILF rebels in the bombing of an inter-island cargo vessel in Ozamis City in the southern Philippines several years ago that killed more than 50 people.

Similar devices were believed to have been used in previous bomb attacks on General Santos City two years ago. Police and military have filed charges of illegal possession of explosives against Ismael.

Security sources did not say if the suspect was on his way to bomb civilian or military targets, but initial interrogation reports tagged the rebel leader as an explosive expert who could be behind recent attacks.