August 28, 2005, CNN, Bomb hits Philippines ferry,

At least 30 hurt from explosion in south

Sunday, August 28, 2005; Posted: 12:33 a.m. EDT (04:33 GMT)

(CNN) -- Thirty people were wounded, five seriously, when a bomb exploded Sunday on a ferry in the southern Philippines, a military spokesman said.

The bomb, described as an improvised explosive device, exploded about 7 a.m. (11 p.m. Saturday GMT) on the M.V. Dona Ramona, said Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual in Manila.

The Dona Ramona is a regular ferry that runs every 30 minutes between Lamitan, Basilan, to Zamboanga city, Pascual said. The boat was docked at the Lamitan wharf and was loading passengers at the time of the blast, he said.

The five that were seriously wounded were taken to Zamboanga city hospitals, Pascual said. Police have no suspects, but the investigation is ongoing, he said.

Authorities are looking into whether the Sunday explosion is related to three bomb explosions earlier this month in Zamboanga city.

The southern region of the Philippines is home to the nation's Muslim's minority. It also has been an area hit by a separatist campaign by rebels.

Last year, a bomb went off on a ferry in Manila Bay that killed more than 100 people, according to a report from The Associated Press. Earlier this month, two bombs wounded 30 people in southern Zamboanga city.

Both attacks have been blamed on the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group.

The Abu Sayyaf is on U.S. and European lists of terrorist organizations. According to the AP, Philippine security officials say the group also has ties with Jemaah Islamiyah, which has cells in several Southeast Asian countries.

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