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ZAMBOANGA, April 16 (AFP)-Islamists warned they would behead seven hostages if their demands for the release of three Muslims held in U.S. jails, including the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, were not met. A spokesperson of the Abu Sayyaf said the seven adult males among their 29 hostages "will go home without heads" or that “only the heads will be sent home" if the government refused to meet their demands. Spokesperson Abu Ahmad warned that the group had "many surprises for the government," including the assassination of government officials and Catholic priests in several southern provinces. The Islamists on Friday demanded the freedom of Muslims jailed in the U.S. including Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the World Trade Center bombing in New York, in exchange for the hostages. They also called for the release of two detained Abu Sayyaf fighters and demanded an end to Christian activities in the southern Philippines, which they blame for the "destruction of Islamic society." Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said he had yet to confer with President Joseph Estrada regarding the demands, but that he would not allow the release of "local terrorists." "If these terrorists were to be released, the next thing that would happen is that more kidnappings would take place in order to spring out local terrorists under detention," said Mercado. The group had earlier released 23 hostages in exchange for food and medicine, along with the release of their leader's wife and son, who were kidnapped by armed vigilantes in a counter-abduction. An earlier threat to behead the male captives was suspended last week when the government gave in to a demand that a local movie action star and a converted Muslim, Robin Padilla, be appointed as a mediator in the talks. After meeting with Padilla in their jungle hideout, the group released two children and demanded the government give them 200 sacks of rice. Ahmad warned their fresh demands must be met or the seven adult male hostages – six teachers and a Catholic priest Roel Gallardo of the Claretian order – would die. Estrada on Saturday said the government would not be bullied into compromising the lives of the hostages. "I'm warning them. They'll be met with the full force of the law and the military. We will not tolerate these terrorist and criminal acts," he was quoted in press reports as saying. "We will not compromise, we will teach them a lesson," he said, suggesting that the Abu Sayyaf were "maybe out of their minds" in demanding the release of Yousef. Armed forces chief General Angelo Reyes said the military was "outraged by what is happening" and troops were ready to launch an offensive if given the go ahead. The Abu Sayyaf is the smallest of two Islamic movements fighting for a separate Islamic state in the south. It has been blamed for random killings and bombings, including a daring midday raid on the town of Ipil in 1995 in which more than 50 civilians were killed.
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