Cops foil Abu Sayyaf plan to blow up oil depot

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Authorities discovered and foiled a plan of the Abu Sayyaf group to blow up an oil depot in Isabela City, Basilan.

Police said the bomb was lobbed by unidentified Abu Sayyaf members inside the compound of the Island Petroleum Corporation Depot located at the coastal village of Barangay Tabuk about 6:45 a.m. Saturday.

Police Superintendent Albert Larubis, Isabela City Police chief, said one of the workers of the oil depot discovered a large plastic bag that contained the a tin can that was believed thrown from the outside of the compound.

The management of the depot immediately reported the discovery to the police, said Larubis.

Elements of the K9 unit of the Army Special Forces and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team were immediately conducted inspection and positively verified the suspicious package was an improvised explosive device (IED). 

The bomb squad safely defused the bomb that was composed of a non-electric blasting cap, time fuse and tin can containing a kilogram of ammonium nitrate fuel oil. 

Larubis said post blast investigation also revealed that the bomber lighted the bomb with match stick but failed to ignite the time fuse to trigger the ignition of the bomb detonator.

Further investigation revealed that the bombing attack could be part of the extortion activity of the Abu Sayyaf group to force businesses to heed their monthly monetary demand for protection.