Philippines military officials have linked the Al Makdum university in Zamboanga City, Mindanao, to Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden.

The international university, now called the Turkish Tolerance School, is run by a Turkish foundation.

Former university administrator Mohammad Jamal Khalifa is Bin Laden's brother-in-law, and he has reportedly fled the Philippines.

The headquarters of the International Islamic Relief Organisation (IIRO) in Zamboanga City, which Khalifa set up, has, meanwhile, been abandoned and padlocked.

The huge IIRO sign in Arabic on the wall that once was a landmark has been removed and the building painted over.

At the same time, the Philippines military rejected Khalifa's offer to help release two American nationals abducted from Palawan southwestern Philippines in April.

"If they want the hostages released, they can just do it, put pressure on their cohorts in the Abu Sayyaf group to release them," said Chief of Staff Gen Diomedio Villanueva, who termed the offer part of "psychological war" being waged against the government.

Our Manila Correspondent adds: Gen Villanueva said Bin Laden is least likely to hide in the southern Philippines because it is not wide enough for him not to be detected.

"I guess an Arab will stand out like a sore thumb in the Philippines. I don't think Bin Laden can stay unnoticed for a long time because of his get up and long beard," said Villanueva.

Furthermore, with the country's kind of press and the way news travel, Bin Laden's presence in Mindanao will "always be talked about", said Villanueva. "No one can keep a secret for long in the Philippines."