Philippines claims to foil Abu Sayyaf attacks

The Philippines military says it has foiled a plot by the Abu Sayyaf militant group to bomb "soft targets" in the capital, Manila, during the Easter break.

In a statement, military spokesman Col. Buenaventura Pascal says the plot was uncovered following the arrest on Tuesday of a suspect in Quezon City along with 10 "sacks" of explosives and 18 canisters containing "improvised" explosive devices.

Security forces are on full alert as tens of millions of Filipinos pray, shop and travel during one of the biggest annual holidays in the largely Roman Catholic country.

Police have warned of fresh plots to attack Manila after the Abu Sayyaf vowed revenge for comrades killed this month by security forces after a jail uprising.

Abu Sayyaf is believed to be linked to the al-Qaeda terror network. It has claimed responsibility for bombs in Manila's financial district and in two southern cities that killed 12 people on Feb. 14.