A Philippine Air Force Bronco bomber plane is prepared for take off at Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City on September 16, 2000. Philippine bomber planes pounded Muslim rebel bases on the southern island of Jolo at dawn, the start of a long-anticipated assault on guerrillas holding 19 hostages. (Erik De Castro/Reuters)

Filipino soldiers fire their 105mm Howitzer towards the mountainous hideout of fundamentalist Abu Sayyaf rebels from a military camp in Isabela town in Basilan province in this April 29, 2000 file photo. Philippine bomber planes pounded Muslim rebel bases on the island of Jolo at dawn on September 16, 2000, the start of a long-anticipated assault on the guerrillas holding 19 hostages, including six foreigners. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File photo

A wounded government soldier is transported on a gurney Monday, Sept. 18, 2000, in a hospital in Zamboanga, Philippines, after he was flown in from the island of Jolo. Fighting continued for a third day Monday between Muslim rebels and Philippine troops trying to rescue 19 hostages. The Abu Sayyaf say they are seeking an independent Islamic state in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines. They have taken scores of people hostage in a series of kidnappings that began in March. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)

The Pandanan resort island in Malaysia is seen Tuesday, Sep. 12, 2000, where three Malaysians were kidnapped by four gunmen on Sunday night. Authorities have not declared Pandanan off-limits since the abduction, but there have been no new tourist arrivals. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Boatsmen wait for customers in Semprona Wednesday, Sep. 13, 2000. The Abu Sayyaf kidnapped three Malaysians from a diving resort on this remote island late Sunday. Authorities have not declared Pandanan off-limits since the abduction, but there have been no new tourist arrivals. Marine officials admit that it is impossible to completely guard the vast Sulu and Celebes Seas between Malaysia and the Philippines. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Malaysian police stand guard at Pandanan Island in Malaysia's Sabah state September 12, 2000 after a raid by the Abu Sayyaf rebels who kidnapped three Malaysians to the southern Philippine island of Jolo. Malaysia is beefing up patrols in its eastern waters in preparation for a possible influx of Filipinos fleeing fighting between troops and Muslim rebels. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad

Residents walk past a Malaysian Marine Police boat in Semporna Tuesday, Sep. 13, 2000. The Abu Sayyaf kidnapped three Malaysians from a diving resort Pandanan on this remote island late Sunday. Marine officials admitted that it is impossible to completely guard the vast Sulu and Celebes Seas between Malaysia and the Philippines. The waters are peppered with hundreds of islands and inlets, providing pirates with sanctuary and easy getaways. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Freed Malaysian hostage Ken Fong Yin Ken, right, embraces his father James Fong on their first meeting after kidnapping Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000, at the airport ground in Jolo, southern Philippines. Three Malaysians who have been held hostage for four months by the Muslim extremist group were freed Saturday while 10 more mostly Europeans were still in their hands. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)

Freed Malaysian hostages Kua Yu Loong, top, Basilius Jim and Ken Fong Yin Ken, bottom, wave to the media Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000 in Jolo in southern Philippines while boarding a plane that will take them to Zamboanga, then home. The three Malaysians, part of the hostages abducted in Sipadan, Malaysia, and have been held hostage for four months by the Muslim extremist group were freed Saturday while 10 more mostly Europeans were still in the hands of the bandit group. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)

Freed Malaysian hostage Ken Fong Yin Ken, 28, gives a thumb-up sign while boarding a plane at the airport in Jolo in the southern Philippines August 20, 2000. Three Malaysian hostages held by Moslem rebels in the southern Philippines emerged into freedom on Sunday but the fate of a dozen European and South African captives hung in the balance. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Abu Sayyaf Moslem leaders Galib Andang (4L) and Mujib Susukan (3rd-L) pose for a picture with their men at their mountain lair in the southern Philippines August 19, 2000. The guerrillas are still holding nine western hostages taken from the Malaysia's Sipadan diving resort in April including three French journalists taken last July while covering the hostage crisis. REUTERS/Str

Released Malaysian hostages Ken Fong Yin Ken, Kua Yu Loong, and Basilius Jim, from right to left, happily accept an offer of bread from an unidentified emissary, left, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000 at Gov. Sakur Tan's residence in Jolo in southern Philippines. The three Malaysians who have been held hostage for four months by the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf were freed Saturday. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)

Released Malaysian hostages Ken Fong Yin, left, Kua Yu Loong, center, and Basilius Jim eat breakfast Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000 at Gov. Sakur Tan's residence in Jolo, southern Philippines. The three Malaysian hostages who have been held hostage for four months by the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf were freed Saturday. Ten more more hostages were still in the hands of the group. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)

Philippine chief government negotiator Roberto Aventajado (R) and Libyan envoy Rajab Azzarouq (L) escorts freed Filipina hostage Lucrecia Dablo as they arrive at air force military base in Zamboanga southern Philippines August 16,2000 shortly after she was released from captivity by Moslem rebel captors. Moslem rebels on Wednesday freed a Filipina hostage they kidnapped almost four months ago along with 20 others from a Malaysian diving resort. (Erik De Castro/Reuters)

SICK FREE... Four former Malaysian hostages (from left) Lee Hock Leong, 20, Francis Masungkim, 34, Vincent Kwong, 40, and Baln Krishnan Nair, 34, give the thumbs-up sign after undergoing medical tests at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Saturday. They arrived in Kota Kinabalu Friday evening in a special flight from Manila after being released from Jolo Island, southern Philippines- Bernama.

Zulkarnain Hashim was the first hostage to be released