components already run PHP, even without that plugin. just make sure you add the code within the full PHP syntax: <?php .... ?>
can you take a look at /data/other/components.xml and see where it might be going wrong at?
There is a weird character (some type of return character i think) here: a {here}phasellus
Check that code above here, and you will see where it points you to:
http://www.xmlvalidation.com/