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Suspected Muslim rebels attack jail |
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November 8, 2000
MANILA (AP) - About 50 suspected Muslim rebels fired rocket-propelled grenades at a jail in the southern Philippines early Tuesday and freed a rebel leader and 64 other prisoners, officials said. One prisoner was killed and a jail guard was seriously injured in a brief clash between the attackers and guards at the jail in the village of Apupong in southern General Santos City, police said. The suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front freed a rebel leader, Tahir Alonto, who was serving a life sentence on murder and kidnapping charges, police officer Alvin David said. Most of the guards were in their barracks when the attack began at about 1 a.m. and were pinned down by gunfire from the attackers, he said. Sixty-four out of about 400 prisoners at the jail were able to escape with Alonto, police said. Some of the escapees are also MILF members arrested in General Santos City, Mayor Adelbert Antonio said. The attackers first fired grenades at the guard house and then used sledge hammers to punch a hole through the wall of Alonto's cell, he said. "It was really very well planned," it said. "They knew where he was." Police and soldiers were pursuing the attackers, who fled in several vehicles, David said. The MILF is fighting for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines. |