ZAMBOANGA (Philippines) - POLICE and soldiers on Saturday defused two powerful bombs planted outside a Christian church in the southern Philippines where Muslim extremists are active, the military said.

The devices, made out of 60mm mortar shells, were found in front of the Iglesia ni Kristo church in Kabacan town in the southern island of Mindanao, Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando said.

Col Ando said it was the second time bombs were found outside the Protestant church, following the discovery of a device, also made with a mortar shell and a timing device, on Thursday.

Although no group claimed responsibility for the attempted bombings, Ando said 'the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is known to use this kind of IED (improvised explosive device)'.

Col Ando had earlier said the MILF was likely behind a bomb which exploded outside a Jehovah's Witness church in Kabacan on Wednesday but caused no casualties.

He would not say why the Muslim separatist MILF would carry out such attacks.

Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the MILF, denied involvement in the attacks.

The government and the 12,000-strong MILF signed a ceasefire in 2003 to negotiate for peace but the talks have stalled and two MILF commanders have launched new attacks after the Supreme Court suspended a draft accord with the MILF in August.

The delay triggered weeks of intense fighting that left 150 people dead and more than 280,000 people displaced in the south. -- AFP