July 13, 2003, Arab News, Investigators Link Koronadal Attack to Davao Bomb Blasts, by Al Jacinto,

July 13, 2003, Arab News, Investigators Link Koronadal Attack to Davao Bomb Blasts, by Al Jacinto,

ZAMBOANGA CITY, 13 July 2003 — Investigators have found evidence linking Thursday's deadly blast in Koronadal to similar explosions in other parts of Mindanao earlier this year, the military said yesterday.

"The explosive device used was similar to the previous bombing conducted in North Cotabato province," army spokesman Lt. Col. Jose Kakilala said.

He said the bomb that killed three people and injured several others in Koronadal’s public market was assembled from black powder and steel pellets.

Kakilala recalled that troops recovered 165 kilograms of black powder and 450 kilograms of C4 explosives on June 21 at the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) stronghold in Kabuntalan town of Maguindanao province.

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, who was in Zamboanga City yesterday, said the Koronadal bomb left the same residue as two other bombs that were used in attacks on the airport and wharf of Davao City in March and April, killing almost 40 people.

Thursday's bombing was the second in a span of two months in Koronadal.

Reyes did not directly point to the MILF, but authorities have blamed the separatist group to the two bombings in the city of Davao in eastern Mindanao.

"Of course the MILF is a suspect and of course the MILF will deny (they are involved)," Reyes told reporters.

The MILF had previously denied charges it was involved in the bombings in Koronadal and Davao, two predominantly Christian cities.

On Friday, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu condemned the Koronadal blast and said their group does not have any terrorist in its midst.

Both Manila and the MILF are working to re-start stalled peace talks but President Gloria Arroyo has warned that further negotiations may be sidetracked if the MILF is found to be behind the Koronadal explosion.

Reyes stressed that the government has already established links between the MILF and the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) extremist group blamed for the Bali bombing last year as well as other bombings in Southeast Asia. The JI is said to be the Southeast Asian chapter of the Al-Qaeda network of Osama Bin Laden.

But with "good offers" coming its way, including multimillion-dollar US aid, the MILF has no more reason to dilly-dally with the resumption of the stalled peace talks, Reyes said.

Reyes said the MILF hierarchy should stop vacillating because it has a lot of good reasons to restart the talks, citing the recent US offer to bankroll livelihood projects for MILF fighters once a peace agreement is signed.

On top of this, the Organization of the Islamic Conference is also set to send a peace monitoring team to Mindanao to fast-track the resumption of negotiations between the government and the secessionist movement, he said.

"The OIC member-countries are currently organizing a 25-man peacekeeping team which will implement a cease-fire agreement as the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) had stated. Even the US has offered 50 million dollars for the rebels," Reyes said in a statement. "That’s why there’s no more reason for the peace talks to be further delayed," he added.