Philippine Terror alert

Some news from the Philippines.

Manila: Britain on Tuesday warned that terrorists may be finalising terrorist plots in the Philippines and advised its citizens against traveling to the region.

The advisory came after a series of bombings hit southern Philippines, which police blamed on Al Qaida-linked militants. At least three bombings last week killed more than six people and injured 29 others.

"We believe that terrorists are in the final stages of planning further attacks," a British Embassy advisory
said, echoing caution from US and Australian embassies.

It cited possible kidnappings of foreigners in resorts and terrorist attacks against "all forms of public transport:
road, rail, sea and air."

Authorities have placed Mindanao under "extreme critical alert" - the highest of a four-step public terror warning.

Police in the capital went on alert Tuesday, with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo urging the public to report suspicious people and activities.

The Philippines is mostly Catholic or Christian. However in the countries' southern regions, mostly Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, there is a strong Muslim presence. Tensions between the Muslim minority and the mostly Christian country have always made the Southern Philippines prone to violence. Sometimes the violence spills northward to Manila.

My dear wife is in the Philippines at present. She is visiting her family in the city of Tacloban on the island of Leyte. DW left on her trip on October 2nd and isn't returning till November 4th.(She was thinking of moving up the day to October 30.)

Leyte is safe and quiet but dear wife has to travel through Manila on the way home. As is noted in the above article, Manila police are on alert. An attack on Manila airport has never been done to my knowledge, but it would be a high profile target for terrorists. Please pray for my wife's safe return, I'd be lost without her.

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