Troops prepare attack on Philippines kidnappers

Philippines military leaders have given officials five days to negotiate the safe release of four female Jehovah's Witnesses being held hostage on an island.

The generals say they are preparing a "killer punch" should the talks on Jolo fail.

Two male hostages have already been beheaded by the kidnappers.

As many as 6,000 troops are poised to attack if they are given the order.

"I would like to emphasise that we are putting more muscle into this operation," said Military Chief of Staff General Roy Cimatu during a visit to the island, 600 miles south of Manila.

The Jehovah's Witnesses were grabbed as they sold Avon cosmetics and herbal teas on Jolo on Tuesday.

The men's severed heads were found yesterday in a public market in Jolo town, the island's capital, with notes urging Muslims to kill Christians and Jews.

The army and police initially blamed the Abu Sayyaf, a radical Muslim guerrilla group targeted in a six-month US-Philippine military campaign that ended three weeks ago.

Although the kidnappings closely resembled the work of the Abu Sayyaf, the officials later backtracked, saying they believed the captors were opportunistic drug addicts.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had declared the Abu Sayyaf virtually defeated after the US-aided operation, and the latest kidnappings in what is known as a rebel stronghold are deeply embarrassing.