(Philippines) Muslim extremists kill four after seizing at least 16 hostages
Yeepiiiii@nospamplanet24.dabsol.co.uk ŚŚŚŠ 2002 Yeepiiiii ŹŹŚŚŚ
seizing at least 16 Filipino hostages and then beheading at least four in
the latest terrorist kidnapping by a group that has been seeking to make
money through ransom demands.
Military officials and police gave contradictory information about the raid
today, casting confusion on the exact number of people captured and killed
by Abu Sayyaf militants. The target of the raid was a village outside
Lamitan town, on the southern Philippine island of Basilan.
The Basilan provincial police chief, Akmadul Pangambayan, said five
decapitated bodies were found after 16 people - including four children -
were seized in the attack. Pangambayan said two hostages managed to escape.
An army spokesman in Basilan, Major Alberto Gepilano, said 24 people were
captured and four were killed while several escaped. At least 16 remained in
the hands of Abu Sayyaf by this afternoon, he said.
"Troops are scouring the hinterlands in search of the rebels and the
hostages," Maj Gepilano said.
The police chief said the motive of the latest attack was not immediately
clear, but it came three days after a man phoned Radio Mindanao network and
said Abu Sayyaf would abduct and kill Christians in retaliation for the
military's attempts to wipe out the group. A military report on last night's
attack listed Christian surnames for those who were abducted.
Mr Pangambayan said authorities were investigating reports that a school and
several houses were burned in the raid. Mr Gepilano said one of the captives
who escaped was believed to be a relative of the mayor of Lamitan, Inocente
Ramos, who is staunchly opposed to Abu Sayyaf.
Abu Sayyaf, thought to number 1,100 fighters, claims to be seeking an
independent Muslim state in the southern Philippines - a mostly Muslim
region of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. However the Philippine
government describes Abu Sayyaf merely as a group of bandits who attempt to
profit from kidnapping.
Abu Sayyaf carried out an attack on a south western beach resort on May 27,
seizing hostages including three Americans. They are still holding a
missionary couple, Martin and Gracia Burnham, from Wichita, Kansas, and
claim to have beheaded the third American, Guillermo Sobero, from Corona,
California. Mr Sobero's body has not been found.
There was no indication the militants intended on holding the new hostages
for any extended time along with the captives they already have been keeping
in Basilan. Abu Sayyaf has in the past seized local people and held them
only briefly.