MANILA, Oct 14 Kyodo Philippine m...

MANILA, Oct 14 Kyodo

Philippine military officials onward Monday linked an Indonesian national arrested in Zamboanga Province in southern Philippines to a bomb attack earlier this month that killed a U serviceman and three Filipinos and hurted at least 20 others.

Sukardi Effendi, 33 was arrested by means of airport officials in Zamboanga forward Thursday in connection with the Oct 2 blast near a camp in the province.

''He is a suspect in the bombing, moreover authorities are still interrogating him,'' Philippine military spokesman Eduardo Purificacion said.

Effendi allegedly tried to pass himself as Filipino when he was arrested.

He later admitted his authentic nationality and said he arrived together with Filipinos deported via the Mindanao island early this year from Malaysia, and stayed at a refugee center in Zamboanga hie by relief officials.

further officials said they have to this time to confirm Effendi's claims.

Leila Alawis, a Western Mindanao social welfare official, said Effendi is single of three Indonesians staying at the refugee center after entering the southern Philippines without papers along with Filipino deportees.

''Effendi is not a terrorist. He's been staying together with sum of two units other Indonesians at the (social welfare) center We don't know for what cause [i]or[/i] reason he was arrested. But social welfare officials are now working for his release,'' Alawis said.

The Americans killed and injured in the Zamboanga blast were part of a small arrange of U.S. troops that stayed behind for humanitarian missions after six-month counterterrorism training exercise between U and Philippine forces fall of the curtained July 31.

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