Huge Catholic procession held under heavy security in Manila

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A massive crowd of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics joined an annual procession of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ held Monday under tight security due to fears of possible retaliation for the killing of an Islamic extremist.

The U.S. and British embassies asked their citizens to take precautions, and the police warned that local Muslim militants trying to align themselves with the Islamic State group may try to attack the procession of the wooden Black Nazarene along Manila's streets.

National police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said authorities have not monitored any specific threat but warned that followers of the extremist leader killed last week may retaliate by attacking the procession.

Authorities have imposed a gun ban, prohibited drones and backpacks, and jammed cellphone signals along the vicinity of the procession, which was guarded by thousands of police and troops.

Devotees jostled around a carriage carrying the statue and threw small towels at volunteers on the carriage to wipe parts of the cross and the statue in the belief that the Nazarene's mystical powers to cure ailments and provide good health and fortune will rub off on them.