THE San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City, Philippines, had already been set as a target. The operational plan had been designed by Umar Patek alias Abdul Ghoni and his group, the Abu Sayyaf. Even the person who would execute the plan had been chosen. “At that time Patek said that his wife, Rumaisah, would plant the bomb,” said a Tempo source last week.

This plan made four years ago fell apart when at the last minute the Abu Sayyaf group was low