By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

Police and military forces are pursuing an Abu Sayyaf bandits’ key leader and financier who was wounded when the troops overrun a bandit training camp in this southern port city last Thursday.

The objective of the pursuit operation is Khair Mundos, who was wounded but managed to escape when the troops overran the Abu Sayyaf bandits’ training camp on Thursday in Sitio Dulian, Barangay Calabasa, 55 kilometers east of this city.

“A pursuit operation against him (Mundos) is now ongoing,” Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles said Saturday.

Four Abu Sayyaf bandits and a bandit’s wife was killed while four others were wounded, including Mundos, when the troops overran the training camp.

Mundos is wanted both by the Philippine and United States government for his role in the transfer of funds from the al-Qaeda terrorist network to the Abu Sayyaf group.

The Abu Sayyaf group used the funds to carry out atrocities to include bombings in Mindanao and other parts of the country.

The United States Department of Justice is offering $ 500,000 for information leading to the arrest of Mundos.

Mundos was captured in 2004 but bolted from Kidapawan provincial jail in 2007.

Mundos, while in government custody, confessed to have arranged funds for terrorist bombings throughout Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Estilles disclosed that the fallen training camp of the Abu Sayyaf bandits was used by Mundos’ group “in keeping kidnap victims.”

The fall of the camp also led to the safe rescue of Yuan-Kai Lin, 38, a Chinese national, who was kidnapped along with a companion last June 4 in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

His companion, Jian Luo, 48, was released on Aug. 26.

Estilles said that the fallen training camp also served as safe haven for Abu Sayyaf members from the province of Basilan and Sulu.