| The Abu Sayaff rebel group has been accused of conducting a fresh series of attacks in the southern Philippines. Our correspondent in Manila, Shirley Escalante, reports 40 bandits stormed two villages in the south Monday and held about 30 families hostage. The bandits then fled to the mountains carrying the villagers produce. There are no reports of casualties. Last week, a band of 30 extremists attacked a police detachment in the southern Philippines. This prompted a gun battle which injured a soldier and an undetermined number of bandits. Meantime a Philippine congressman says he received reports that two top leaders of the the Abu Sayaff group have recently escaped to Malaysia. The military says it is still verifying this report with Malaysian authorities. |