Three Abu Sayyaf rebels arrested

Three Abu Sayyaf rebels arrested

MANILA (AFP): Philippine authorities have arrested a senior
leader of the Abu Sayyaf kidnap gang and two of his aides in the
southern island of Basilan, the military said on Sunday.

The authorities declined to identify the ranking detainee, who
they said carried a five million-peso (about $97,000) prize on
his head.

The gang, which describes itself as a Muslim separatist
guerrilla group, is holding 18 hostages including U.S. Christian
missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham, both Kansas natives.

When the couple was seized along with another American and 17
Filipinos in the western Philippines resort of Dos Palmas in late
May, President Gloria Arroyo offered a $2 million bounty on the
kidnappers -- $97,000 for each leader and $19,400 for each
member.

The gunmen have beheaded more than a dozen Filipino captives
and claim to have decapitated Peru-born Californian Guillermo
Sobero, who the government presumes is already dead.