Militants escape government raid on hideout in southern Philippines

Manila: A Malaysian militant and the Filipino leader of a terrorist group escaped during a government raid that killed five militants and two women at a militant hideout in the southern Philippines, a radio report said.

Brigadier-General Rustico Guerrero, commander of Task Force Comet, an anti-terror government outfit, on Monday identified the two as Zulkifli Bin Hir, also known as Marwan, of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), and Abu Benhur, also known as Boy Tondo, of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

He said the two escaped after soldiers raided a coastal hideaway in Laminusa village, in Siasi, Sulu, around 3am on Sunday.

Navy spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Edgard Arevalo vowed to pursue the escaped militants.

"They slipped out after five Abu Sayyaf members and two women fell during the clash. We will pursue them relentlessly," Arevalo said.

Arevalo said government soldiers clashed with Abu Sayyaf militants by the bay for almost ten minutes. He said the clashes continued for another hour near the group's fortified hideout, which he said was full of sandbags. One soldier was wounded in the clashes.

Arevalo said troops seized 15 assault rifles and materials used to make bombs.

The military had acted on information received from Laminusa residents.

The residents told army officials of Bin Hir's presence in their village, Arevalo said. He said JI and ASG leaders had been planning to carry out kidnappings, bombings and other terror activities in the run-up to the May 10 elections.

JI is alleged to be the Southeast Asian conduit of Al Qaida.