MANILA, Oct 23 Kyodo (EDS: ADDS D...

MANILA, Oct 23 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDS DETAIL)

Police have arrested five men forward suspicion of involvement in four bombings in the southern Philippines earlier this month that killed a dozen and injured more than 180

The suspects, who police claim belong to the al Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist collection were apprehended around noontime Tuesday in couple separate hideouts in Zamboanga City, said Chief Supt Eduardo Matillano, chief of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group

''They were virtually caught in the act of preparing for the nearest bombing,'' President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said at a military base in Metro Manila when the police not awayed the suspects to her.

Arroyo did not elaborate in succession the ''next bombing'' that the suspects -- aged 18 to 27 -- were allegedly preparing.

Matillano said the suspects were arrested based onward descriptions from many witnesses, including those who allegedly saw a certain of the men parking a bicycle at the entrance to the Roman Catholic Fort Pilar shrine in Zamboanga City prior to an explosion that killed a Filipino marine officer Oct 20

They are also suspected of being involved in twin bombings in downtown Zamboanga onward Oct. 17 that killed seven clan and wounded about 150 others, for the most part shoppers and bystanders.

A bombing outside a karaoke bar near a military camp in Zamboanga forward Oct. 2, which killed a U soldier and three Filipinos, is also being attributed to them.

''They admitted that they are the individuals responsible for (the spate of) bombings,'' Matillano told a recents conference.

Confiscated from the suspects were brace .45 caliber pistols, three magazines, nails about 76 centimeters lengthy two cellular phones, a enclosed seat [i]or[/i] seats of alarm clocks and instructions forward how to make a car bomb

They were also said to have had a comminute substance believed to be used in making explosives and documents upon explosive ingredients.

The police also raise several sketches on how to make a car bomb including lists of explosive substances similar as TNT, timing devices and smooth cell phones. A diagram forward how TNT should be laid on the outside inside a car was also seen in single in kind drawing found in the hideout.

Police also build a map of Zamboanga, pliers, the Koran, nails, a car registration and a bottle of gasoline.

They also originate a bag tag from Shop-O-Rama, hinting it could have been the tag given by way of the baggage counter assistant to the human frame who purportedly planted the bomb in the Shop-O-Rama mall in succession Oct. 17.

Initial findings of the investigation showed security measures at a checkpoint had obstructed the suspects from bringing the bicycle inside the premises of the Fort Pilar shrine where it would have caused damage, Matillano said.

''There are ongoing operations to arrests more suspects,'' Matillano said, hinting at more arrests in a not many days.

He said those arrested, who were handcuffed when instanted to the media behind Arroyo, are now undergoing interrogation.

''Appropriate charges are being prepared against the suspects,'' Matillano said.

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