Officials say a Philippine court has convicted four Abu Sayyaf militants for killing two people during a 2001 attack on a southern resort.The militants planned to kidnap Western tourists at the Pearl Farms resort on Samal Island in Davao del Norte province in May 2001 but their speed boats ran aground at low tide -- a blunder noticed by guards, who opened fire at the attackers, prosecutor Aristotle Reyes said.
A guard and another resort worker were killed in a shootout before the militants backed off, he said.
Abu Sayyaf militants Halik Abdani, Javier Sirri and Yusop Saddai were convicted of murder and sentenced by the Pasig regional trial court last Monday to a prison term of up to 40 years, according to a copy of the decision seen by The Associated Press.