Suspected bomber behind Philippine deadly church blast arrested

MANILA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Security forces have arrested a suspect believed to engineer a series of bombings, including a recent one that killed six and injured 50 in front of a Catholic church in southern Philippines, the authorities said Saturday.

Salman Mohamadali, tagged as a member of the Special Operations Group of the Muslim secessionist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), was arrested on Thursday in the town of Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao province.

Mohamadali is blamed for the July 5 explosion in front of the Cotabato Cathedral that killed six civilians and injured 55 others and the Oct. 5, 2007 twin explosions in Kidapawan City, both in the restive Muslim Mindanao region, authorities said.

COTABATO, the Philippines, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government on Thursday suspended its military offensive against armed Muslim separatists in the southern Philippines.

Executive Secretary Educardo Ermita said the suspension of assault against the Moro Islamic liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest rebel group, was aimed at getting the rebels back to the negotiation table. Full story

COTABATO, Philippines, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Four military bomb experts were wounded on Monday in an ambush by unknown gunmen in the restive southern Philippines, a military official said.

Jonathan Ponce, a local Army spokesman, said Major Francis Senoren of the Philippine Army's bomb disposal division and three of his colleagues were attacked by armed men on their way to an explosion site. The blast took place in the morning in North Upi township, Maguidnanao province and left one militia dead. Full story

COTABATO, Philippines, July 20 (Xinhua) -- A homemade bomb went off Monday near military detachment in the southern Philippines, leaving a state militia dead.

Ramon Piang, mayor in the township of North Upi in Maguindanao province, told reporters the victim, Erol Roberts, was checking a bag left by an unknown man beside a detachment around 8 a.m. in the village of Kibleg when it exploded. He was killed in the explosion.