Suspected bomb courier arrested at central port

MANILA (AP) - A suspected bomb courier for the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group in the Philippines has been arrested, police said Friday.

Gino Musa, 19, was apprehended on a Manila-bound ferry that was docked in Cebu city after bomb-sniffing dogs detected explosives -- a 90mm recoilless rifle projectile and a rifle grenade -- hidden inside the sack of corn and bananas Musa was carrying, said Philippine National Police intelligence director Chief Superintendent Raul Castaneda.

Musa said he was unaware explosives were in the sack, which he claimed he was paid P400 pesos ($8.50) to take to Manila by a man he met at a port in southern Maguindanao province, Castaneda said.

Police charged Musa with illegal possession of explosives, he said.