Sayyaf using 'biological chemical' in bombs?

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Are Abu Sayyaf militants using a “biological chemical” in their improvised bombs?

This suspicion emerged after military doctors observed that most soldiers wounded in landmine explosions blamed on the Abu Sayyaf experienced extreme fever from mere shrapnel wounds.

Col. Jocelyn Turla, commanding officer of the Camp Navarro General Hospital (CNGH), made this observation, too, after 10 soldiers, who were wounded in a landmine explosion and ambush in Sumisip, Basilan last Tuesday and airlifted to the hospital, developed fever.

“We have observed that those soldiers who were wounded especially in landmine attacks usually developed fever. Could it be that the enemies were (mixing) some sort of a biological chemical to their IEDs (improvised explosive devices),” Turla said while discussing the conditions of the wounded soldiers with Capt. Caesar Almer Candelaria, CNGH head surgeon.

Turla said the 10 soldiers, who all suffered shrapnel wounds except for one who had a bullet wound, too, are now in stable condition.

The wounded soldiers, who belong to the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion, said the landmine was rigged to explode along a dirt road at the boundary of Barangays Libug and Cabcaban in Sumisip town.

One of them, Pfc. Jamaani Ibrahim, said that right after the blast, they were immediately fired upon.

Ibrahim, who sustained shrapnel wounds and a bullet wound in the left leg from sniper fire, said the powerful landmine explosion immobilized their truck and KM450, a newly acquired Korean-made armored carrier.

“We were able to retaliate, (forcing) the attackers to slow down and preventing them from rushing into us,” Ibrahim said.