Manila arrests Muslim militants

The Philippines has arrested two Muslim militants accused of bomb attacks in 2000 which left 22 people dead.

The two men, Mamasao Naga and Abdul Pata, were captured on Monday on the southern island of Mindanao, army spokesman Buenaventura Pascual said.

He said the two men had been implicated by another man involved in the plot, Indonesian-born Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi.

Al-Ghozi, who admitted he was a member of the militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), was shot dead last year.

The two men have been charged in connection with the December 2000 bombings that struck Manila's light rail system and other targets, leaving 22 people dead and more than 100 others injured.

Mr Pascual said a pistol and documents detailing JI links in the Philippines were also found with the two men.

JI, which has also been linked to al-Qaeda, is believed to want to establish an Islamic state across much of South East Asia.

It has been blamed for a string of attacks in the region, including the 2002 Bali bombings.