Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes said four leaders of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group were among the dead, including two men who headed Monday's escape attempt at Camp Bagong Diwa in suburban Manila that left an additional five people dead.

``The terrorists got what was coming to them,'' said Ignacio Bunye, press secretary for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

``The crisis team gave them all the chances to peacefully surrender.''

The assault to end the latest in a string of embarrassing jail breaks and attempts raised worries about terror attacks, national police chief Arturo Lomibao admitted.

``We hope there's going to be no retaliatory strikes from our Muslim brothers because they know what happened,'' he said. ``We tried to resolve it peacefully.''

But an Abu Sayyaf leader at large, Abu Sulaiman, warned in an interview with DZBB radio that militants would bring war ``right into your doorstep.'' The group claimed responsibility for bombings in three cities last month that killed eight people and wounded 100.

After Tuesday's assault, sweat-soaked police marksmen filed out of the building to applause from bystanders, escorting detainees stripped to their underwear.

Officials said police found eight handguns and two grenades in the jail after the assault, which left 22 inmates and one officer dead and six other officers wounded. The lone police fatality was discovered under debris hours after the operation ended.

Senior Superintendent Benjamin Magalong said the fighting had been ``intense.''

Reyes named three Abu Sayyaf leaders among those killed: Alhamzer Manatad Limbong, known as Kosovo; Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot; and Nadzmie Sabtulah, alias Commander Global. All were tied to mass kidnappings and other terrorism.

The assault came after Reyes gave the inmates 15 minutes to surrender after a deal Monday to end the drama fell apart over the militants' demand for dinner.

``They refused to yield the firearms, which they grabbed from guards, and turned down our calls and assurances for their safety, including the plea of our Muslim leaders,'' Reyes said.

As the deadline passed, intense gunfire rang out. Police fired tear gas, and sharpshooters ran in and out of the main steel gates wearing gas masks. A police helicopter hovered above the jail.

The crisis began Monday when Abu Sayyaf members overpowered and stabbed their guards and took their pistols and ammunition. At least three guards and two Abu Sayyaf members were killed.

Congressman Mujib Hataman, a Muslim who tried to broker a peaceful surrender, said it was ``saddening'' that it ended in more bloodshed.

``Even if they were criminals, they were still humans,'' he said.

Limbong, one of the Abu Sayyaf leaders killed, allegedly was involved in a mass kidnapping in 2001-02 that left hostages dead and a ferry bombing last year that killed more than 100 people.

Several Abu Sayyaf suspects have escaped from Philippine jails, which are often dilapidated, with inadequate and sometimes corrupt staff.