"Philippine Airport Staff Seize Package Containing Bomb"

Thursday, March 27, 2003

Philippine Airport Staff Seize Package Containing Bomb


MANILA (AP)--Philippine airport authorities Thursday were examining a
package bound for Osaka, Japan, that appeared to contain a grenade with
wires attached to it, officials said.

Edgardo Manda, general manager of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport ,
said security officers became suspicious when the man who delivered the
package at an airport cargo facility away from the terminal building
couldn't be immediately identified.

An x-ray examination revealed the image of a grenade with wirings, Manda
said.

The package was to have been put on Thai Airways flight 602 that was to
leave for Osaka, Japan, at 4:25 p.m. (0825 GMT), Manda said.

"The suspicious thing about that was that the delivery man was not
identified, that's the reason why we immediately got hold of it and
subjected it to inspection," he said.

Miguel Hinlo, assistant general manager for security, said explosives
personnel were still checking the contents of the package several hours
after it was discovered.

The Philippines has stepped up security following recent bombings in the
south of the country and its decision last week to be named in the
"coalition of the willing" that supports U.S.-led military action against
Iraq.

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