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Philippine leader rejects demands of Muslim rebels

MANILA: Philippine President Joseph Estrada on Saturday rejected the demand of Muslim rebels that he intercede for the release of five Islamic extremists in exchange for the freedom of 29 hostages. "It is impossible. We will not compromise with them," Estrada told reporters in response to the five-point demand of the fundamentalist group Abu Sayyaf.

"I'm warning them, they will be met with the full force of the law and full force of the military," Estrada said in nearby Tagaytay City, where he attended a golf tournament.

In a letter to Estrada, the Abu Sayyaf group demanded the release of five of their "brothers," who are in jail in the United States and in the Philippines, including a "Youseff Ramsy".

It was unclear if the Abu Sayyaf, which is fighting for a separate Islamic state in the Philippines' southern Mindanao region, was referring to Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, a guerrilla convicted of the 1993 U.S. World Trade Centre bombing.

The demand letter of the Abu Sayyaf was sent to movie star Robin Padilla, who converted to Islam a few years ago.

He trekked to the mountain lair of the guerillas in Basilan island earlier this week to hear the demands of the Abu Sayyaf.

The hostages were among more than 70 people, mostly children, abducted by the Abu Sayyaf from two Basilan schools on March 20. More than 40 were later released.-Reuters