A joint police and military operation has led to the capture of Abu Sayyaf leader Nadzmie Sabdulla, also known as "Commander Global", and three of his aides. They were caught at the village of Calumpang in General Santos City, southern Philippines at around six in the evening on Sunday.

"We arrested the Abu Sayyaf Commander who was one of those involved in the Sipadan kidnapping last year. Three of his followers were also captured in a raid at an Abu Sayyaf safehouse in Calumpang village," said police Senior Superintendent Conrado Laza, "There is a follow-up operation and we are now on red alert status."

When presented to the press in suburban Quezon City, the authorities pointed to Sabdulla's gunshot wound in the chin which the latter sustained during a clash with the military in Jolo, southern Philippines, last September. Sabdulla is believed to be the one who led a raid in the Samal Pearl Farm resort in Davao City, Mindanao last May.

The three arrested Abu Sayyaf members were Halik Sabdani, 23, Saltimar Sali, 17, and Javier Sampang Sumgahan, 32. They all took part in the Pearl Farm attack in Samal last May. Global was a close associate of the Abu Sayyaf's Ghalib Andang, also known as "Commander Robot". He and Andang raided a Malaysian resort in Sipadan island and brought more than 20 foreign hostages to the province of Sulu in April 2000.

They were also responsible for more abductions in Jolo from July to August last year. The group released the hostages after an estimated $20 million in ransom money had been paid last year. Their capture came barely a day after two explosions ripped through a five-storey hostel in General Santos City that left at least 11 people wounded, police said.

The military is still investigating if the Abu Sayyaf Group was responsible for the attack at the Constar hostel.

The presentation of the arrested Abu Sayyaf leader and three other members was delayed till late on Sunday by an apparent squabble among elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) over the $100,000 (P5 million) bounty for his capture, sources said.

Police Chief Leandro Mendoza said neither the Armed Forces nor the PNP will receive the reward money. "The reward money will not be given to government operatives, military or police. It is intended only for civilian informants," Mendoza said, adding: "The claimant should not be part of any government organisation."

Sabdulla's capture was proof that the military is bent on neutralising the terrorists, said Major Alberto Gepilano, spokesman of the Task Force Comet, in charge of government operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao's Basilan and Jolo.

"Wherever they hide we will surely find them. The long arm of the law is catching up with them," said Gepilano. President Gloria Arroyo is happy about the arrest of the Abu Sayyaf leader, said presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao.

This is an indication that the bandit group's collapse is not far away, said Tiglao, adding that the government hopes this will follow the fall of the bandits' leaders. Earlier, Andang, Sabdulla's ally, said he wanted to surrender to government authorities with the help of former Ilocos Sur (northern Luzon) Governor Luis Singson.

Adds Raffy Jimenez in Manila and Noralyn Mustafa in Basilan: Defence Secretary Angelo Reyes refused to confirm the reported recent escape of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya from the military dragnet in Basilan, southern Philippines. "We are still going to verify that. It could be true, or not true. Our theory is that they are still in Basilan," Reyes said.