ZAMBOANGA CITY: Philippine authorities arrested Saturday an Abu Sayyaf militant in Zamboanga City who was tagged as among those who beheaded 10 soldiers in the southern province of Basilan.
The militant, Asnawi Sala, was linked to the brutal slaying of the 14 Marines, ten of them beheaded, on July 10, 2007, in a clash in the town of Al-Barka.
The soldiers were searching for a kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi when they strayed into rebel territory on the volatile province and a firefight ensued.
Police and military officials did not give details of the arrest of Sala, who is now being investigated at an undisclosed camp.
Meanwhile, a Roman Catholic Church was bombed before dawn Saturday in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga, but there were no reports of casualties.
Reporters who rushed in the area said the blast partially damaged the concrete fence of the San Isidro Labrador Church in the village of Talon-Talon.
A letter was also left by the unidentified assailant and warned that there will be more attacks in Zamboanga. Television reports said the blast occurred at around 1 a.m. and police investigators claimed a grenade was likely used in the attack.
