Police in the Philippines have detonated a suspicious package that turned out to be a home-made bomb left near the US Embassy in Manila.
A street cleaner found the device in a roadside trash bin about 300 meters south of the embassy compound.
Police discovered batteries, what appeared to be a triggering device, and mobile phones inside the package.
A bomb squad conducted a controlled detonation of the explosive device after authorities closed part of the road to traffic. No one was reported hurt.
Police say a witness saw someone throw a package out of a taxi early in the morning near the site.
They say the bomb was similar to the device that killed 15 people in the southern city of Davao in September.
They are investigating possible links between the 2 incidents.
Extremists affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf militant group have been arrested in connection with the Davao bombing. Government forces have also been carrying out operations against militants in the western part of Mindanao Island, where the group’s base is located.
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