Philippines: June 29, 2004

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Police arrested six Jemaah Islamiah suspects outside the capital. Also seized were bomb making materials (11 pounds of explosives, plans for bomb making, six gasoline bombs and other materials.) Terrorist bombing has become very popular among young Filipino Moslems. Inspired by the attention given to Islamic radical bombings in Israel, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, in the Islamic media, the number of bombings, and eager young bomber wannbes, has increased. The Islamic media makes the bombers appear to be heroic freedom fighters. While the suicide bombers are held up as the most heroic, a non-suicide bombing is also much admired, especially if it kills some "enemies of Islam."