17 prisoners shot dead
March 15, 2005 Edition 1
Manila: Philippine police shot dead 17 prisoners as they stormed a jail in Manila this morning to end a day-long stand-off with a group of Islamic militants who had snatched weapons from guards and killed three of them.
Five police officers were wounded in the assault.
Police said they regained control of the prison building about an hour after starting the assault. Troops outside fired teargas as teams of police commandos scaled the walls of the four-storey detention centre and overpowered the militants.
At least three leaders of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group accused of involvement in high-profile kidnappings of foreigners were among those killed in the assault.
Television reports said 300 policemen had stormed the building, where more than 400 prisoners, including 129 suspected Islamic militants, were detained. - Reuters
