Muslim radicals kill 3 guards in Philippine jail
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-14 10:05

Islamic radicals being held at a police camp in the Philippine capital, Manila, snatched weapons from their guards while being served breakfast on Monday and shot dead three of them, police said.

One prisoner was killed in the gunbattle and several guards were wounded, Manila police Avalino Razon told reporters.

Philippine guards help an injured colleague after a gunbattle with inmates at a police camp in Manila March 14, 2005. Several Islamic radicals were holed up at a police camp in Manila on Monday after snatching weapons from their guards and shooting dead two of them in an escape attempt, Philippine police said. [Reuters]

The prisoners had occupied the second storey of a four-storey police building in the suburb of Taguig, which had been surrounded by police and SWAT teams.

Police helicopters were overhead and an armored personnel carrier was parked alongside.

"We believe they are Abu Sayyaf," Razon told reporters, referring to a gang of Islamic militants which has links with the al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

A Philippine guard takes up a position during a gunbattle with inmates at a police camp in Manila March 14, 2005. [Reuters]

The militants contacted local radio by telephone and demanded to speak with a Muslim congressman and with Robin Padilla, a local film star popular among Muslims because he has converted to Islam.

Police Superintendent Jun Cruz earlier told reporters 10 prisoners were involved in the uprising and were still holding some guards hostage.

Philippine police escort an unidentified detainee (C) back to a detention cell in Manila's Camp Bagong Diwa March 14, 2005. [Reuters]

The Philippines is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic but has a small Muslim minority. Most of the country's Muslims live in the south of the archipelago and some Islamic groups have been fighting for independence for decades.

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