January 3, 2003, New York Times, Militant Leader Captured in Philippines,

January 3, 2003, New York Times, Militant Leader Captured in Philippines,

The Philippine military said today that it had captured a leader of Abu Sayyaf, a gang of Muslim militants that the United States has linked to Al Qaeda.

Merang Abante, a middle-ranking leader of Abu Sayyaf with an $18,500 bounty on his head, was arrested near the southern city of Zamboanga, Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya said.

Abu Sayyaf, which claims to be fighting for a separate Islamic state in the south of this predominantly Roman Catholic country but is mainly known for kidnappings, has bases on the islands of Basilan and Jolo.

The group is still holding three Indonesian seamen abducted in June from a Singaporean-owned tugboat off Jolo, and four women evangelists kidnapped in August.

The United States and the Philippines held a joint military exercise in the south of the country last year to help local troops overcome the group.