LORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy, July 9 (Reuters) Pope Benedict said today he was praying for an Italian priest kidnapped in the Philippines after authorities there identified his captors as members of an al Qaeda-linked group.

Milan-born missionary Giancarlo Bossi was kidnapped at gunpoint on June 10 near his church in a coastal village on Mindanao island.

The first photos of the priest since his abduction surfaced this weekend, showing him alive but haggard.

Asked whether Bossi was in his thoughts, the German-born Pontiff said: ''Every day.'' ''We're hoping and praying the Lord helps us,'' Benedict said to reporters in a small town in the Dolomites mountains as he began his summer holidays.

Bossi's captors were previously thought to be the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a Muslim rebel group talking peace with the government.

But Norberto Gonzales, the Philippine president's security adviser, said on Sunday Bossi was instead in the hands of Abu Sayyaf, the country's smallest and most deadly Islamic militant group, which has ties to Jemaah Islamiah and al Qaeda.

''It's not a case of being overly optimistic given that we have to deal with Abu Sayyaf,'' Gonzales was quoted as saying by Italian daily La Repubblica.

''We know these people, and I think I can say that the solution to this episode will neither be pleasant or quick.'' Sources at army intelligence in the Philippines said they were still working, however, to determine whether Abu Sayyaf had the priest. Italy's Foreign Ministry also said it was checking.

''We're not able to confirm what was stated by sources in the Philippines about a possible al Qaeda role. We're making checks and we have all channels open,'' Gianni Vernetti, undersecretary at Italy's Foreign Ministry, told Italian media on Monday.

Reuters SV RN1921