October 6, 2001, New York Times, Muslim Rebels Raid Town in Southern Philippines,

October 6, 2001, New York Times, Muslim Rebels Raid Town in Southern Philippines, 

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines, Oct. 5—Mortar explosions rocked the southern Philippine island of Basilan as Muslim guerrillas carried out a bold raid on its capital city, officials said today.

A soldier and three civilians were wounded by the shelling and gunfire in the largely Christian city of Isabela.

The attack came as the authorities announced the surrender of a senior member of the Abu Sayyaf Muslim militant group, Mustapha Ting Emmo, reportedly the right-hand man of the group's elusive leader, Khadafi Janjalani.

Mr. Emmo surrendered to the armed forces in Basilan on Wednesday as the troops increased pressure on his forces, the military said.

Also today, the military said it recovered skeletal remains believed to be those of Guillermo Sobero, one of three Americans seized by the rebels from a beach resort in May.

Soldiers recovered the pile of bones believed to be those of Mr. Sobero in a forest area in Kaulayan village after a captured rebel pinpointed the area.

''I don't know if we can confirm this to be that of Sobero because we have to subject it first to test,'' said Brig. Gen. Glicerio Sua, leader of a military task force deployed against the rebels.

General Sua said the skull was missing from the pile of bones.

An Abu Sayyaf leader, Abu Sabaya, said in June that his forces had beheaded Mr. Sobero, a California resident, as an ''independence day gift'' to the Philippine government. The military has since said he is presumed dead.

The rebels are still holding an American missionary couple, Martin and Gracia Burnham, and 16 Filipinos in Basilan's central jungles.

The island's army chief, Col. Hermogenes Esperon, said the rebel attack on Basilan could be an attempt to divert the attention of the more than 5,000 troops on the island, who are seeking to rescue the 18 hostages.

Colonel Esperon said the attack would not slow his forces down.

''Troops are tracking down the rebels and we will not stop until the Abu Sayyaf is destroyed,'' he said.