U.S. Compound in Manila Hit by Grenades

Grenades tossed from a passing vehicle exploded inside the headquarters compound of U.S. military advisers in suburban Manila on Monday, a Filipino security officer said. No injuries were reported.

Lucerio Manaay, an air force security officer, said two or three men in a jeep threw three grenades as they passed the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group compound in suburban Quezon City.

He said two exploded outside the supply room and headquarters building, blowing out some windows. The 28 advisers supervise disbursement of U.S. military aid to the Philippines.

An American officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said gunfire also was directed at the compound. He said the advisers were away from the headquarters building when the attack occurred.

A French news agency said an anonymous telephone caller claimed responsibility on behalf of an organization calling itself Jihad (Holy War). It was the first time a group has been known to use that name in the Philippines. In Lebanon, a group of Muslim fundamentalists that calls itself Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for several terrorist incidents and the abduction of Western hostages.

Several Leads

In Washington, spokesman Charles Redman said U.S. officials do not know who was responsible for the Manila attack but that Philippine police have several leads. He did not elaborate.

The attack came hours after Col. Emiliano Templo, military commander of the Manila region, said plotters called off a coup plot late Sunday after the army leaked word of the conspiracy to reporters.

“We are now trying to look into several reports of a plan of some people to conduct disruptive activities all the way up to and including the national election on May 11,” Templo said. “Our intelligence units are still in the process of verifying these reports.”

The military said that dissident troops have abandoned plans to seize two garrisons in suburban Manila and that troops remain on alert in case of another coup attempt against President Corazon Aquino’s government.