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| Southeast Asia |
| Malaysia seeks from S. Philippines help in hunt for two hostages |
| 2010-02-10 |
| Malaysia has sought the help of southern Philippines in the hunt for two Malaysians snatched from a seaweed farm off Sabah by a group of Filipino gunmen believed to be linked to the Abu Sayyaf terror group. Tawi-Tawi governor Sadikul Sahali said yesterday that the Malaysian authorities have informed Filipino police in Sitangkai of the possibility of the armed group with the two hostages heading towards Philippines waters. He said naval forces under the Western Mindanao Command and the police were keeping an eye out for the group and the two hostages. “From information received, there is still no sign of the gunmen or the hostages on our side,' Sadikul was quoted as saying in the Star. The two Malaysian Chinese – a 40 year-old manager and a 25 year-old supervisor of seaweed farm operated by a Hong Kong and local investment company, Dynasty Marine Farm - were abducted by the gunmen at about 1 am on Monday. They fled in two pump boats. Tawi-Tawi in southern Philippines, about 20km away from the Sabah coast, has been a hot spot for hiding hostages before they are slipped off to neighbouring Jolo or Basilan islands where the various factions of the Abu Sayyaf operates from. Worried family members of the abducted men have declined interviews, as they pray for the safe return of the two hostages before Chinese New Year. According to Sabah Police Commissioner Noor Rashid Ibrahim, the Malaysian police believe the gunmen might still be in Sabah waters and the search was focused around the districts of Lahad Datu, Tawau and Semporna. Describing the gunmen as robbers who came to grab the payroll from the seaward farm, Rashid said they were not part of any organised group, such as the militant Abu Sayyaf operating in southern Philippines. Foreign Minister Anifah Aman who is a Sabahan and the brother of Chief Minister Musa Anam, also believes that the gunmen were not part of the Abu Sayyaf group. The United States, which recently issued a travel warning to Sabah in view of possible kidnappings of foreigners, has linked the Abu Sayyaf to the Al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden. The Malaysian authorities who were unhappy with the US travel warning, have maintained that security along the Sabah borders was tight and they were always on the alert. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #2 You know some time ago I read about the Philippine- Malay kidnap racket. According to this account the Malay powers to be import Muslim Filipino muscle around election time. To pay them for their service some patsy is kidnapped. The ransom is then paid by the Malay powers to be. Don't know how true this but it does have the right sound. |
| Posted by: Don Vito Anginegum8261 2010-02-10 17:15 |
| #1 TOPIX/WORLDNEWS > POLICE SAY "BALI BOMBER" MAY HAD ESCAPED DEATH. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-02-10 02:02 |