January 4, 1999, PHNO, Abu Sayyaf Grenades Kill 9 in Jolo,

January 4, 1999, PHNO, Abu Sayyaf Grenades Kill 9 in Jolo,

Jolo, Sulu, Jan. 4, 1999 - Suspected Abu Sayyaf extremist rebels lobbed grenades at a crowd watching firemen put out a blaze in downtown Jolo, killing 9 persons and wounding 50 others.

Many of the wounded who were hit by shrapnel were reported to be in serious condition and had to be flown to Zamboanga City for treatment.

Sulu police director Senior Superintendent Isah Hassan said his office is still investigating the incident, but police and the military have stepped up security in the province.

The grenade explosions came as fire razed the Goodwill Foodmart in downtown Jolo. Among the fatalities were three policemen and two Marine soldiers who were deployed at the scene to prevent looting.

The blaze was set off by an explosion which authorities believed was part of the Abu Sayyaf attack.

Sulu Gov. Munib Estino said the police and the military could not launch a pursuit operation against the attackers because of the observance of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

"We are urging the public to stay vigilant and help the authorities by providing information about lawless groups," Hassan said. "We are doing everything to prevent terrorism." he added.

The Abu Sayyaf has threatened to attack government and civilian targets to avenge the death of their leader, Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, who was killed last Dec. 18 in a shootout with a police team in Basilan.

On New Year's Eve, soldiers in Indanan town in Sulu also killed Suwaib Eman Sahibul, another top leader of the Abu Sayyaf, in a gun battle after the rebels ambushed a patrol jeep of the Marines. Sahibul was linked to the kidnapping of two Hong Kong Chinese and a Malaysian seaweed farm worker in Jolo last September. The victims were freed just before Christmas.

Last month, suspected Abu Sayyaf guerrillas also lobbed a grenade inside a crowded shopping mall in Zamboanga City, wounding more than 65 people.