Military authorities have intensified their intelligence operations to determine the whereabouts of Abu Sayyaf chieftain, Khadafy Janjalani, who has reportedly slipped out of the Abu Sayyaf lair in southern Philippine's Basilan two weeks ago with two Arab guests.

This was disclosed by Joel Guillo, one of four hostages who escaped from Abu Sayyaf captivity in Isabela City last Sunday, and who confirmed Janjalani's escape, Armed Forces Southern Com-mand chief, Lt-Gen Roy Cimatu, admitted in a phone interview.

"All the while we thought he (Janjalani) was there, but the hostages confirmed he was not there (when a series of gunbattles in Basilan) started October 7," Lt-Gen Cimatu noted.

He added that he had earlier received an intelligence report about Janjalani's alleged escape. "It could not yet be ascertained where they are now. We are focusing on the whereabouts of Janjalani and the two Yemenis. They could be somewhere here in Basilan, or somewhere else."

"We are still monitoring his whereabouts. He may have just joined up with the Yemenis somewhere," said Lt-Gen Cimatu.

Janjalani must have fled either on October 3 or 4 with the Arab men whom the escaped hostage said are Yemenis, according to Lt-Gen Cimatu.

The Arabs were reportedly in the group's lair in Basilan two weeks after the September 11 terror attacks in the U.S.

Earlier, quoting the hostage who escaped, Lt-Gen Cimatu disclosed that the Yemenis had stayed in Basilan for two weeks, and that they always conferred with Janjalani and Abu Sayyaf spokesman, Abu Sabaya.

At the same time, the southern command had received earlier a U.S. intelligence report about the presence of four Arabs in the area.

The military is trying to find out if the Abu Sayyaf Group in Basilan is headed by Sabaya or Isnilon Hapilon, said Lt-Gen Cimatu.

He added that the query was based on the statement of one of the hostages who had escaped, who claimed that Hapilon had stopped the beheading of several hostages.

The Abu Sayyaf Group has again broken up into smaller groups to evade pursuing military troops in the boundaries of villages Maligue and Kapayawan in Isabela City, observed Lt-Gen Cimatu who directed top military men in the area to pursue the Abu Sayyaf leaders and their hostages.

Our Manila Bureau Chief adds: Sources said the reported escape of Janjalani could be a sign that the two American hostages will be recovered soon.

The two American hostages, Martin and Gracia Burnham, were reportedly with Janjalani. Nine of the remaining Filipino hostages are believed to be with the group of Sabaya and Hapilon in Basilan.
Eight of the kidnapped victims managed to escape as the two camps were engaged in fierce clashes in the past two weeks.

But Col Francisco Gudani, Southern Command deputy commander for operations, claimed in a radio interview that Janjalani is still in Mindanao and that he could not have left the area.

Col Gudani added that Janjalani had just slipped out of Basilan, and that he had done this out of fear for his safety in the face of the military operation there.

"Government soldiers will find him." He did not say where, but sources said this could be in nearby Jolo, another Abu Sayyaf stronghold.

Our Zamboanga Correspondent, adds: The military says that the Abu Sayyaf Group will be cornered again, a claim made several times since the start of the fierce clashes between the two camps.

Security forces surrounded the Abu Sayyaf Group which continued to go deeper into its lair in Basilan. "They will be trapped there," said local Army commander, Brigadier Col Hermogenes Esperon.

"There is a relentless pursuit operation. The Abu Sayyaf have suffered heavy casualties since early this month. They are now having a hard time and are probably confused. There is military pressure and the militants are feeling this pressure," claimed Col Esperon.

"This rescue operation will not stop until the Abu Sayyaf is destroyed," Col Esperon stated, adding the troops have overcome their difficulty in manoeuvring in a densely vegetated area where the Abu Sayyaf members have gone into hiding.