December 8, 2004

The government believes that the most senior Abu Sayyaf leader, Khaddafy Janjalani, is hading on Mindanao island, in an area controlled by the MILF. Janjalani is not being protected by the MILF, but at the same time the army can't go into the area without risking a major fight with the thousands of MILF gunmen in the area. The MILF does not want go looking for Abu Sayyaf members in its area, because it doesn't look good for Moslems to fight Moslems. It's also thought that Janjalani bribed local MILF leaders to leave him and his escort alone.