Philippines Jihad 9 Dead

Jihad here, jihad there, jihad jihad everywhere. But Ground Zero mega-mosquerader Daisy Kahn says, "the era of extremism is over," and if you dare to disagree, you are a racist-islamophobic-anti-muslim-bigot. Got that?

Bus bomb kills nine in Philippines AFP hat tip Mackie

COTABATO, Philippines — Nine people were killed on Thursday when a bomb exploded aboard a packed passenger bus in the troubled southern Philippines, authorities said.

The military and police said Muslim militants or bandits who are known to operate on the southern island of Mindanao could have been behind the attack, with extortion a possible motive.

"The bus company has long been receiving extortion letters from armed groups operating in the region," regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang said.

The bomb was apparently hidden inside a bag placed in a luggage compartment at the back of the bus, and exploded just after a group of men who were suspected to have planted it got off the vehicle, Cabangdang said.

Bus driver Arlan Tadeo, 38, who was unharmed in the incident, said there were 60 passengers on board when the explosion occurred.

"I saw in the rear-view mirror shattered blood-stained windows," he said.