Philippines: Rebels offer ‘last deal’ talks

A Muslim extremist group has offered talks to release two Americans and a Filipino nurse they have held hostage for more than 11 months, a radio station reported today.

Radio Mindanao Network quoted Abu Sabaya, leader of the Abu Sayyaf group, as saying rebels were open to “last deal” talks with regional officials.

The Abu Sayyaf, which has been linked to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network, is holding Martin and Gracia Burnham of Wichita, Kan., and nurse Ediborah Yap on Basilan island the last of dozens of hostages seized during a kidnapping spree last year.

Oklahoma City: Terrorism institute produces guide for response to attacks

Within hours of the Sept. 11 attacks, federal officials wanted advice from the city that lived through what had been the worst act of terrorism on American soil.

That’s when rescue workers, city leaders and families of Oklahoma City bombing victims realized how much they had to say. Their suggestions have turned into a 45-page booklet detailing what other cities should do if terrorists attack.

The book offers advice on everything from dealing with families searching for loved ones to creating a memorial to honor the dead. The institute published its first copies of the guide April 19, the seventh anniversary of the bombing.

Washington, D.C.: Saudis deny flight request

An adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah said Sunday that aides never asked that only male air traffic controllers guide Abdullah’s flights during his visit to Texas.

Those reports are “a bad joke” and the request “absolutely did not happen,” Saudi adviser Adel al-Jubeir said on “Fox News Sunday.”

A manager for the company that operates the control tower at the airport in Waco, Tex., said a group of Saudis made the request to the airport manager, and that two male controllers guided the prince’s flight to Houston, though a female tower manager was on the premises.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Saturday he was unaware of any such request.