Grenade blast injures at least 18 in Jolo

Grenade blast injures at least 18 in Jolo

JOLO, Philippines (Agencies): At least 18 people were wounded, one critically, by a grenade tossed early Wednesday at a busy coffee shop in Jolo, the capital of the island where Muslim extremists are holding about 30 hostages, witnesses said.

It was the second grenade attack in two days in the town following an explosion Tuesday at its Roman Catholic cathedral. Police said they suspect Abu Sayyaf guerrillas were responsible for the attacks.

The police chief of this southern Philippine island of Jolo was sacked on Wednesday after the fresh spate of bombings and kidnappings by gunmen holding dozens of local and foreign hostages.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Panfilo Lacson ordered Superintendent Candido Casimiro relieved, hours after suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels lobbed a grenade at the coffee shop.

"I have been informed by the chief of PNP already. He called me," Casimiro told AFP. "I did my best, but this is what you call command responsibility."

Casimiro has been under pressure from police authorities to prevent an escalation of violence in Jolo where the Abu Sayyaf are holding 33 hostages.

Casimiro was warned he may be relieved after gunmen abducted a Filipino television crew of two on Monday. He had repeatedly warned the journalists against meeting rebel leaders.

The grenade attack on the Nile Coffee Shop came as emissaries worked for the release of five French citizens, three Malaysians, three Germans, two Finns, two South Africans, a Lebanese and 17 Filipinos.

A police official here said the bombing was carried out by the Abu Sayyaf at daybreak, as patrons waited for the shop to open. The attacker escaped on a motorcycle.

"Certainly we condemn the attack," provincial governor Abdusakur Tan told AFP. "Heightened security will be in place."

Casimiro said a determined terrorist was hard to stop, even as police were on "double red alert" in predominantly Muslim Jolo, notorious for its high-powered firearms black market.

Authorities have estimated the number of firearms in Jolo at two million, about four times its population of 500,000.

Of the 33 hostages, are nine tourists and five resort workers who were snatched from the Malaysian island of Sipadan on April 23. Others include six European and Filipino journalists and 13 Filipino Christian preachers.

Six Malaysians and a German have been freed.

Self-styled Muslim independence fighters, the Abu Sayyaf had previously assassinated the Catholic bishop of Jolo amid a campaign to drive the Christian minority out of the island.

Chief government negotiator Roberto Aventajado said Abu Sayyaf had put off plans to free three remaining Malaysian hostages from the Sipadan group.

Abu Sayyaf leader Galib Andang, popularly called Commander Robot, told Aventajado he no longer wanted to talk with emissaries sent by President Joseph Estrada's businessman friend Lee Peng Wee, who was instrumental in the release of the six Malaysians.

Aventajado had agreed to a change of emissaries and was expected to fly to the southern city of Zamboanga on Thursday to seek clarification.

Sources close to negotiations said $4 million had been paid for the released Malaysians and Germans. The German, Filipino and Malaysian governments deny the claim.

But flush with cash, the Abu Sayyaf has been busy acquiring assault rifles and machine guns, intelligence sources said.

The Abu Sayyaf, a loose collection of several hundred heavily armed extremists, are holding several groups of hostages, including about 15 foreigners, in jungle hide-outs on the island.

Witnesses said an unidentified man threw the grenade at the coffee shop, which is near a crowded public market. "Someone shouted 'grenade' and everyone began running," said one of the wounded, Evelyn Dinsing. "Then it exploded."

Jolo, capital of Sulu province, is about 950 kilometers south of Manila.