PRESS RELEASE
Department of Foreign Affairs
2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                *             Tel. No. 834-4000               *              www.dfa.gov.ph
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No. 278-03; 06 June 2003

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PHILIPPINES CONDEMNS BOMBING IN RUSSIA

The Philippines condemns the recent bombing in Russia, which killed at least 17 people and finds particularly deplorable the use by the bomber of a medical uniform to disguise her intentions, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople.

A female suicide bomber blew up a bus carrying members of Russia's military killing at least 17 people and injuring at least 15 others on 4 June 2003. The bombing happened on the outskirts of Mozdok air base, a major military installation in Russia's North Ossetia province, which borders Chechnya.

“Just as in the two previous bombing incidents, the Philippines condemns in the strongest possible terms this recent bombing.  We know too well the pain and suffering that terrorist acts can bring and we offer our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims and wish for the speedy recovery of those injured,” the Secretary said.

This is the third fatal incident to have happened in the past month. A woman suicide hijacker set off an explosives belt around her waist at a religious festival in the Chechen village of Iliskhan-Yurt on May 14, killing 14 people.  A few days earlier a truck laden with explosives drove into Chechen government buildings in Znamenskoye, the main town in the Nadterechny district, north of Grozny, killing at least 52 people.

“As we condemn these bombings, we also call for calm and caution in associating these acts with any particular religion.  Nothing would make these terrorists happier than to create and deepen religious divisions.  We must not allow this. We must always keep all channels open for greater inter-faith dialogue,” Secretary Ople said. END.