August 28, 2002, Reuters / ABC News, Philippines Orders 'No Mercy' Assault on Gunmen,

August 28, 2002, Reuters / ABC News, Philippines Orders 'No Mercy' Assault on Gunmen,

— ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Reuters) - The Philippine military on Wednesday ordered an assault "with no mercy" on Muslim gunmen holding four Christian women on a southern island after a deadline for negotiations passed.

Armed forces chief General Roy Cimatu flew to Jolo island to issue the order to troops as local officials appealed to the military to hold off any offensive to allow villagers time to evacuate.

Cimatu told reporters his order to troops was: "Hit the kidnappers with no mercy if they will resist and engage."

He did not say how the military would respond to the appeal from officials to delay the attack.

The military gave local officials a five-day period which ended on Tuesday to persuade the kidnappers to release the captives, all Filipinas belonging to the Jehovah's Witnesses religious group.

Armed men linked to Muslim separatist Abu Sayyaf guerrillas abducted the four women in the Patikul hills of Jolo nine days ago. Two male preachers in the group were beheaded while two others were freed.

Abu Sayyaf fighters are also holding hostage three Indonesian crewmen abducted more than two months ago from a Singaporean-owned tugboat passing near Jolo.

The Indonesians are being held in another part of Jolo, a largely Muslim island of more than 500,000 people and considered an Abu Sayyaf lair.

The United States has linked the Abu Sayyaf to Islamic dissident Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network, prime suspects in the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

U.S. troops recently held counter-terrorism exercises with Philippine soldiers on the nearby island of Basilan, another Abu Sayyaf stronghold, to help Philippine forces defeat the guerrilla group.

The Abu Sayyaf held U.S. missionary Gracia Burnham hostage for more than a year until she was rescued by Philippine soldiers in June. Her husband, Martin, and a Filipina nurse held hostage with the American couple were killed in the fighting.

The Philippine military has deployed about 5,000 troops to hunt the Abu Sayyaf on Jolo, 600 miles south of Manila. Officials estimate there are 200 Abu Sayyaf gunmen, most of them on Jolo and the rest on Basilan.

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