[Telegraph] When a British-Canadian mining expert was beheaded by an Islamist kidnap gang in the southern Philippines, the nations leaders pledged to unleash the full might of the military to "neutralize" the Abu Sayyaf. But in the weeks since, there has been no sign of progress in the "relentless manhunt" for the gunmen who murdered John Ridsdel and hold two other Westerners.During the last two decades, Abu Sayyaf militants have developed an abduction-for-ransom operation that blends ruthless banditry and religious fanaticism. In recent months, they have become increasingly brazen in their speedboat-driven raids, seeking kidnap targets far from their strongholds. In their lair, the Sulu archipelago, terrain and local support certainly favor the rebels. They hide out in the dense jungle on islands where they divide their time between piracy and farming jackfruit and durian.
The local economy there is so dependent on the kidnap business that it has become a way of life. The profits are shared between corrupt officials and military commanders, Islamic leaders and tribal elders, distributed down to local villagers who provide food and cover, not to mention the militants themselves and their arms procurers.