Free Republic

MANILA (AFP) - Jailed Al-Qaeda-linked militants remain holed up in a maximum-security Philippines prison after overpowering guards in a bloody escape attempt that has left up to six people dead in a shootout. Hundreds of snipers and police special forces units have surrounded a group of armed militants on an upstairs floor of the Camp Bagong Diwa jail and are awaiting orders to storm the building, police said. The militants overpowered the guards and seized three of their guns during a routine early morning headcount of the 435 inmates, who include 129 members of the Al-Qaeda-linked Muslim Abu Sayyaf gang...

MANILA, DECEMBER 8: The Philippine military flew a captured leader of the Islamic Abu Sayyaf militants to Manila on Monday, giving President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo a badly needed boost in a pre-election drive to appear tough on crime. Ghalib Andang, widely known as Commander Robot, burst into prominence in 2000, when he abducted 21 tourists and workers from the Sipadan dive resort in Malaysia. They held the hostages, who included French, German, Finnish and South African nationals, for months on the island of Jolo, before freeing them for millions of dollars in ransom. He was wounded in a firefight...

MANILA - President Gloria Arroyo said yesterday the Philippines had struck a heavy blow against terrorists in the region with the arrest of 'Commander Robot', a leader of the Abu Sayyaf group. He led a band of kidnappers who raided resorts in Malaysia's Sipadan island in April 2000, seizing 21 hostages. 'Relentless pressure is taking its toll and we will keep it up until all the terrorists are accounted for and they no longer pose a threat,' she said. 'Commander Robot', whose real name is Galib Andang, was captured late on Sunday after a gunbattle in southern Jolo island. Wounded...