October 18, 2001, Scotsman / AP, Philippines guerrilla chief flees as troops close in,

October 18, 2001, Scotsman / AP, Philippines guerrilla chief flees as troops close in,

THE leader of a Philippine Muslim group holding American and Filipino hostages has fled the southern island of Basilan, the military said yesterday.

News that the Abu Sayyaf leader, Khadafy Janjalani, had fled up to ten days ago, leaving the hostages with a core group of about 70 gunmen, came as Philippines forces claimed to have surrounded the rebels holding the hostages and were urging them to surrender.

Colonel Francisco Gudani told reporters his men had killed least 11 guerrillas had been killed and two soldiers had been wounded.

The military says it has killed more than 40 Abu Sayyaf gunmen since launching a fresh offensive against them on Basilan about ten days ago.

The Philippines national security adviser, Roilo Golez, said the flight of Mr Janjalani would be a blow to the Abu Sayyaf. "Their leader has abandoned them in an hour of extreme danger ... when Janjalani should be standing by to die with his men," he said.

The Abu Sayyaf, which is linked to the al-Qaeda organisation of Osama bin Laden, is holding eight Filipinos and an American couple hostage on Basilan. The guerrillas seized Martin and Gracia Burnham, missionaries from Kansas, a third American, Guillermo Sobero, a Californian tourist, and 17 Filipinos from a resort near the island of Palawan on 27 May. The group beheaded Mr Sobrero in June and his remains were found earlier this month. Several of the Filipinos escaped or were released.

Elsewhere yesterday, eight gunmen seized an Italian priest, Father Giuseppi Piarantoni, while he was saying mass in the remote coastal town of Dimataling in the Zamboanga del Sur province. The military said it was unclear whether the kidnappers belonged to Abu Sayyaf. - AP