2 killed, 4 injured in Zamboanga City mosque blast
Credit to Author: DEMPSEY REYES| Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2019 01:54:47 +0000
TWO persons were killed while four others were injured after a grenade exploded inside a mosque in Zamboanga City past midnight on Wednesday, making it the third attack in Mindanao this week.
The incident at the the Mahardika Mosque happened past 12 a.m. in Logoy Diutay, Barangay Talon-Talon, police said.
The fatalities were identified as Habil Rex, 42 and Bato Sattal, 47, who were both pronounced dead at the Zamboanga City Medical Center at 12:39 a.m. and 1:31 a.m. respectively.
The wounded were identified as Yasson Asgali, 46; Paulo Slahuddin, 41; Albani Jikilani, 67; and Amidz Kassara, 30.
Authorities said the suspects have yet to be determined.
A police report said a grenade was thrown by an unidentified suspect inside the mosque at 12:30 a.m.
Chief Supt. Emmanuel Licup, regional director of Zamboanga Peninsula, told reporters that the suspects may be riding on the Jolo Cathedral blast.
“[We’re] still investigating [the possible motive]. We cannot speculate on the motive as of yet. This could be personal and suspects riding on the Jolo incident,” he said.
In Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Muslim religious and traditional leaders condemned the grenade bombing inside the Mahardika Mosquea mosque.
Sultan Nasser D. Sampaco, chairman of the Marawi Sultanate League, said, “Whoever did this inhuman act is a barbaric coward.
Sampaco who is also the president of Jamiatu Marawi Al-Islamia Foundation (JMIF), the largest Arabic and Islamic school in Lanao del Sur, said the incidents in Jolo and in Zamboanga City were inimical to the interest of the entire Filipino people as it was fostering hatred between Muslims and Christians.”
He then asked everyone to pray for peace in the archipelago.
Last Sunday, twin explosions at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu killed 21 people and injured 97 others.
On Tuesday, PO1 Christopher Anador was killed in a bomb explosion in North Cotabato allegedly perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA).
President Rodrigo Duterte said the Jolo carnage was the handiwork of suicide bombers.
Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao in May 2017 when the IS-inspired Maute group laid siege to Marawi City in a bid to establish an independent state. What should have lasted for 60 days under the Constitution stretched to two years, with the concurrence of Congress as Duterte cited the continuing threat of terrorism in the region.
Imam Kamil Unda of the Supporters of Ahlol Bayt Movement in the Philippines said that the Qur’an has warned of what happened in Jolo and in Zamboanga.
Unda quoted a Qur’anic verse (6:108) saying “Don’t revile whom they pray (except Allah) lest they out of spite revile God in their ignorance…” He interpreted this to mean, “Not to bomb others’
houses of worship because they will also bomb your Mosques due to anger, hatred and ignorance of the law and religion.” MASIDING NOOR YAHYA
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