Bomb explodes outside house of imam; 6 hurt

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — At least six people were wounded when a powerful bomb exploded in front of the house of a Muslim imam (religious leader) in Barangay Calumpang here Monday night.

Superintendent Conrado Laza, city police chief, said the homemade bomb, made up of incendiary chemicals and metal shreds, exploded at the gate of Ustadz Mohammad Suib Abedin’s house in Acharon Village at about 8 p.m.

Six passersby, mostly neighbors of the Abedins, were wounded in the explosion that also ripped through at least three nearby houses.

The victims were identified as Ustadz Abdul Kader, 45; Cheryl Mancao, 18; Charlie Jay Opao, 12; Jose Quezon, 30; his wife Vilma, 30; and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Laurie Claire.

As of noon yesterday, Kader was still comatose at the intensive care unit of the St. Elizabeth Hospital, while the other victims were declared out of danger.

Abedin told reporters that several unidentified, suspicious-looking men were seen roaming around their vicinity several days before the blast.

He also admitted that he had received numerous death threats from certain groups prior to the incident.

Abedin, who anchors a program at a local radio station here, believes the incident was related to his commentaries against what he calls "pseudo-Islam" believers.

His program, he says, focuses on the "true" teachings of Islam against any form of abuse, corruption and crimes against fellowmen.

"But unfortunately, some of my fellow Muslims are wary about the truth. They wanted to silence me," he said.

Police probers said they have pinpointed several suspects but declined to give any information pending further investigation.

They also found an unsigned note near the scene of the explosion, warning Abedin that they would kill him and his family if he would not stop his hard-hitting commentaries.

Meanwhile, Cotabato City probers have tagged a certain Said Putao, a leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s special operations group, as the brains behind last Sunday night’s bombing of two moviehouses which marred Christmas revelry by the city’s Christian community. One of the bombers was killed and three civilians were injured in the blast. — With Roel Pareño, John Unson