Philippines makes arrests, seizes explosives amid alert

MANILA, Nov 5, 2010 (AFP) - Philippine police said Friday they arrested five people and seized materials used for making explosives, following warnings by Western governments of an imminent terrorist attack in the country.

MANILA, Nov 5, 2010 (AFP) - Philippine police said Friday they arrested five people and seized materials used for making explosives, following warnings by Western governments of an imminent terrorist attack in the country.

However police did not say if the arrests and confiscated bomb-making material were linked to the warnings in the travel advisories.

Police said they arrested four local men who had stolen explosives from a private firm based in Limay town at the mouth of Manila Bay on Wednesday.

The United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand issued travel advisories this week warning an attack may occur at any time in the Philippine capital, and that areas frequented by foreigners were potential targets.

France also issued a travel advisory warning of security threats in the Philippines, the French embassy in Manila told AFP on Friday.

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