US Hostage Killed in Botched Rescue in Philippines

An American missionary held hostage by Islamist militants for more than a year was killed yesterday when a rescue attempt by elite US-trained Philippine troops went disastrously wrong.

His wife was wounded in the raid, but was brought to safety and was last night recovering in hospital with a bullet wound to the leg. A nurse held by the same group of Abu Sayyaf rebels was also killed.

The two-hour rescue operation was launched during heavy rain in a mountainous jungle where some 40 rebels were sheltering with their captives - a year and 11 days after the couple were kidnapped.

Soldiers said they had crept to within 30 metres of the group, who were huddled under trees.

"When we saw the two Americans were there," Private Rene Mabilog said, "our CO gave us the order to open fire."

US missionary Martin Burnham and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap were killed at the scene. It was not clear last night whether the pair were shot by their captors or caught in the crossfire.

Soldiers later found Gracia Burnham by a river bank, clutching photographs of herself and her husband. Seven soldiers were lying wounded nearby and four rebels were claimed killed.

"I saw her lying wounded by a creek," Corporal Rodelio Tuazon said. "I asked her if she was OK: she just cried." Told in hospital of her husband's death, Mrs Burnham said: "That is God's will: that is probably his destiny."

The operation came as debate intensifies in Washington and Manila over the future of the 1,000-strong US military mission sent to help the army crush the rebels. Abu Sayyaf, which says it is fighting to carve a Islamist state out of the southern Philippines, is said to have links with the al-Qaida terrorist network, but many observers regard it as a motley group more interested in making money out of kidnapping.

In Manila the defence secretary, Angelo Reyes, insisted that every precaution had been taken but that "these things happen".

Asked whether the operation could be considered successful, he said: "The answer is both yes and no."

The Philippine president, Gloria Arroyo, told President Bush the gang would be hunted down. "The terrorists shall not be allowed to get away with this," she said. "We shall not stop till Abu Sayyaf is finished."

Mr Burnham, 42, was believed to be suffering from malaria. According to a fellow captive released last November, his 43-year-old wife had refused a chance to flee without him.

The couple were seized at a tourist resort off Palawan island where they were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary. Another American with them, Guillermo Sobero, was later beheaded by the rebels.

Ms Yap was seized from a hospital on the small island of Basilan when the rebels retreated from a government offensive; some Philippine press reports have suggested she was forced to "marry" an Abu Sayyaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon, in the jungle.

The guerrillas had been tracked for days by commandos with hi-tech equipment after crossing on to Mindanao from Basilan, previously their base.

Last month a ransom attempt failed when rebels reneged on a deal after $300,000 (£200,000) was paid, demanding an extra $200,000.

But some sources suggested that the money had gone "missing" in the hands of intermediaries.

Critics have argued that the Burnhams and Ms Yap could have gained their freedom for a fraction of the amount spent on the US military mission.