By John McLean BBC Philippines correspondent

The Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebel group has accused the Philippines' government of sacrificing the lives of two hostages in an attempt to justify its part in the US war on terrorism.

In the first public pronouncement by the Abu Sayyaf for several months, their leader, Khadafi Janjalani, made a statement broadcast on a local radio station in the southern Philippines.

Perhaps a negotiated settlement would have resulted in an earlier resolution of the case

Khadafi Janjalani

Mr Janjalani blamed the government for the killing in June of two hostages being held by the Abu Sayyaf.

One was Martin Burnham, an American Christian missionary. The other was Ediborah Yap, a Filipino nurse.

Both were shot dead during an attempt by the army to rescue them.

The Abu Sayyaf leader said the two would still be alive if the government had accepted what he called a negotiated settlement, which presumably means if the government had paid a ransom.

Instead, Mr Janjalani said, the lives of the hostages were sacrificed in what he described as an effort by the government to justify its so-called war on terrorism.

The Abu Sayyaf's main occupation is kidnapping for ransom, though it is regarded by the US as a terrorist group because it once had links with Osama bin Laden.

The US has sent troops to the Philippines to train local armed forces for their campaign against the Abu Sayyaf, and American officers helped plan the rescue operation that resulted in the death of the two hostages.