The Philippines have paraded five Filipinos before the press, saying they were members of a Muslim rebel group and suspected of involvement in at least three bombings in the southern city of Zamboanga this month.
The sombre suspects aged between 18 and 27, wearing bright yellow T-shirts and name tags, were produced by police at a news conference broadcast live on national television today and attended by President Gloria Macapagal.
Police said the suspects were all members of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group that is based in southern Philippines and has been linked to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, prime suspect in the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
"We have established that Abu Sayyaf is connected to Jemaah Islamiah and al Qaeda. These suspects are Abu Sayyaf," said Eduardo Matillano, Chief Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the national police.
The Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiah, which the Philippines has linked to bomb attacks in Manila dating back to December 2000, is suspected in the October 12 Bali bombings which killed nearly 200 people, mostly Australians.
It is also suspected of involvement in a bus bombing in Manila on Friday which killed two and wounded more than 20.
A police statement said the five suspects were caught in mainly Christian Zamboanga city on Tuesday based on descriptions given by witnesses who saw them park a bicycle at the entrance of a Catholic shrine on Sunday evening prior to an explosion.
"The suspects, all members of the ASG (Abu Sayyaf group), are believed to be responsible for at least three bombing incidents," it added.
"The arrested persons are currently undergoing tactical interrogation. Appropriate charges are being prepared against the suspects," it said.
Last Thursday, at least seven people were killed and more than 160 wounded in a bomb attack in the main shopping district of Zamboanga, a mainly Christian city in the heartland of a Muslim insurgency.
On Sunday evening, a US Marine was killed and 16 other people were wounded in a blast at a Catholic shrine in the city.
A US soldier and two Filipino civilians were also killed in a bomb attack on October 2 in Zamboanga city.