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Detained Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader Al Shed Albani inadvertently gave the slip by revealing to authorities where he could be reached - through a cell phone right inside the Manila City Jail.

Albani, tagged as one of the high ranking advisers of the bandit group, was arrested last December with ASG commander Hector Abubakar Janjalani.

In a letter to a Manila judge, Albani disclosed his cellular phone numbers.

Albani is presently facing charges of illegal possession of explosives before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 31. He is currently detained at the Manila city jail while Janjalani, who was charged with drug possession, is in a stockade at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.

In his one-page letter written on a yellow sheet of paper, Albani indicated at the bottom his address, "c/o Mosque Manila City Jail." He also gave two cellular phone numbers.

Albani sent the letter to Judge Leonardo Reyes through the post office last June 27. He was requesting for Janjalani's transfer to the Manila prison with him.

He cited the judge's own commitment order as requested by the Manila police that Janjalani, younger brother of slain ASG leader Abdurajak Janjalani, should also be detained in Manila for the court hearings.

Reyes has ordered the PNP to comment on Albani's request and scheduled a hearing last Friday. The issue is due to be decided within the week.

Police officials, however, has opposed Janjalani's transfer, describing the arrested ASG commander as a 'high risk threat to national security." Instead, they asked the court to modify its commitment order by justifying Janjalani's detention at Camp Crame.

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