UP Ibalon Bicol: Islamic militants

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Barbaric beheading of a school principal in Patikul, Sulu

11/10/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

A 36-year old elementary school principal was beheaded by unidentified men who accosted him while riding a small bus in the town of Patikul, Sulu. Gabriel Canizares’ barbarically severed head was thrown in a gas station by men in motorcycles believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf, the notorious band of bandits that operates in Mindanao. Five hours after, his mutilated body was dumped near a military camp in Patikul, Sulu.

It was reported that before Canizares’ abduction on October 20, 2009, he was threatened by death threats. His family said, the victim and his relatives couldn’t pay the P2 million ransom demanded by his captors.

Teachers who knew the murdered principal were angry, distraught, and fearful over the death of their colleague. Those who were working to rescue the educator had shifted to arresting those responsible.

Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo ordered an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators of the crime which had been widely condemned by Jolo residents. It was theorized that Canizares' murder was connected with the abduction of Columban missionary Fr. Michael Sinnot in Pagadian City who at present had not been found. With the Moro Liberation Front (MILF,) among the suspects, the 79-year old Catholic priest was asked to pay $2 million ransom---a demand that was repudiated by the government and the Columban Missionary community the sickly humanitarian worker belongs.

Over the weekend, authorities took custody of an MILF commander. Canizares' beheading could have been a retaliation, according to Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa. Intelligence reports indicated that the arrested MILF commander identified as Asnawie Addan Salah, had knowledge and contact with the Al-Qaeda affiliated Abu Sayyaf Group who kidnapped the principal of Kanagi Elementary School.

The persistent lawlessness in Southern Philippines of Islamic radicals has appalled peace-loving Filipinos. The beheading of innocent individuals is a horrible degeneration down the path of barbarism that must be condemned. It’s despicable to know that debased human beings have to resort to desecrate bodies of fellow human beings. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Al Qaeda, Fr. Michael Sinnott, Gabriel Canizares, hostages, Islamic militants, kidnapping, killings, MILF, Mindanao war, Patikul, ransom, Sulu, terrorism, Totie Mesia, war on terror

$2 million ransom demanded for Fr. Sinnott’s release

11/01/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

After wild specularions over the conflicting reports that Columban missionary Fr. Michael Sinnott who was snatched by unidentified kidnappers a week before was dead, the military finally announced through Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner on Saturday, October 31, 2009 that a $2 million ransom is being asked for his release from the forest of Mindanao.

In a video where Fr. Sinnott appeared standing behind an October 22, 2009 copy of the newspaper Inquirer, he identified the leader of his kidnappers as Abu Jandal. Authorities have yet to confirm if Jandal is a member of the notorious Abu Sayyaf militants who are known to extort money from civilian hostages. Abu Sayyaf have ties with Al Qaeda, the international Islamic terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden.

According to the military, the 79-year old ailing priest who was forcibly taken in his mission office in Pagadian City on October 11, 2009 and later wrongly reported to have been killed in captivity looked weak in the picture. He suffers from heart problems.

Fr. Patrick O’ Donoghue, the Philippine head of the the Missionary Society of St. Columban, the order where the captive priest belongs identified Fr. Sinnott. He said, consistent with the government policy of not paying ransom, the religious mission will not release money for the freedom of the kidnapped victim.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a separatist movement operating in Mindanao which tries to help bring back Fr. Sinnott announced a rescue is still the first option to free the Catholic religious missionary. MILF civil-military chief Eid Kabalu said the insurgents holding the hostage is a small group, but they carry deadly guns and ammunitions. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "200 MILF negotiators for the release of Fr. Sinnott?" Posted by mesiamd at 11/04/2009

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Al Qaeda, Fr. Michael Sinnott, hostages, Islamic militants, kidnapping, MILF, Mindanao, Pagadian City, ransom, Sinnott, Totie Mesia

US terrorist plots more real than Americans realize

9/24/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

“When police on September 14 searched an apartment in the New York City borough of Queens that Zazi had visited, they told local media they confiscated cell phones and at least nine empty backpacks. The Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people involved backpacks stuffed with explosives that were detonated via cell phones.”----Reuters (09/23/09, Honan, E; Kearney, C.)

The specter of terrorism is reignited anew when in the weekend, in America, three suspected Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists were arrested hatching a bombing plot that could parallel that one pulled in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005. The arrests came at a time that world leaders trooped to New York for the 64th annual general assembly in the United Nations headquarters.

Shuttle driver Jajibullah Zazi who admitted training in a bomb making school in Pakistan, an imam, and a 37 year-old Afghan-born Ahmad Wais Afzali were arrested on suspicions of forming a terrorist team in the US mainland. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigators apprehended Zazi in Colorado and found his laptop bearing instructions on making, handling, and detonation of explosives.

An apartment in Queens, New York turned in cell phones and back packs that might be readied for bombing similar to the one that occurred in the subway system in Madrid, Spain killing innocent people.

Pres. George Bush and his military advisers said before that a terrorist attack in the US soil is not a matter of if, but when. Inciting incredulity and falling in deaf ears, the president's warning was echoed by vice-pres. Dick Cheney. These recent arrests surely brought back the same grim warning.

Yet, the liberals in society and civil rights groups have dismissed terrorist warnings as being alarmist. It was easy for them to deny a worst-case scenario that could well occur in the future. With the new arrests, the American people had been reminded anew of their vulnerability.

Enemies of freedom and those opposed to the western way of living are relentless and unyielding. They only need one plan to succeed and inflict huge damage to society--- in a magnitude that can bring back the horror of 911. (Photo Credit: Josue Lozano) =0=

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Labels: 911, bombing, FBI, Islam, Islamic militants, terrorism, Totie Mesia

More fatalities in Abu Sayyaf firefight

9/23/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

The death toll of the fighting between the Islamic rebel group Abu Sayyaf in Jolo, Sulu, Mindanao and the military rose this week. Victor Reyes of Malaya reported:

“Nineteen bandits were killed Sunday, and another 15 Monday in clashes following an ambush staged by the bandit group on a military convoy returning from the captured Abu Sayyaf camp. The bandits killed eight Marines in the counter-attack. Nine other Marines were injured."

In a fierce fighting between more than 200 Abu Sayyaf bandits and government forces, Saddam Parad, the brother of Abu Sayyaf chief Albader Parad and as Ustadz Muktar, the cousin of another leader Ismilon Hapilon were killed. In January this year, it was Albader's group who kidnapped and eventually released three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian workers after months of painstaking negotiations.

The fatalites were considered a huge blow to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated trouble-makers who lost their camp to the military in Sitio Talibang, in Barangay Buansa, Indanan last Sunday, September 20, 2009. As a result, government forces are beefing up their defenses to foil a retaliation from the notorious insurgents. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Al Qaeda, Albader Parad, Islamic militants, Ismilon Hapilon, Jolo, Mindanao, Sulu, terrorism, Totie

Suicide bomber kills 16 military recruits in Swat Valley

8/31/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

A suicide bomber who trespassed a training compound for military recruits blew himself, killing 16 would-be police officers in Swat region of Pakistan. The bloody attack which wounded an undetermined number of trainees came three days after 27 security men died in another attack in the country’s Khyber region.

The violence in unstable Mingora, Swat’s major village may be an attempt of Taliban militants to reclaim the area they control after their stronghold of three years was disrupted by military forces early in May 2009.

It was estimated 1,800 Islamic rebels and suicide bombers died during the offensive. A million civilians escaped the area, but returned when some measure of stability was achieved by the anti-Taliban forces.

Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani condemned the attack, vowing to continue the fight against the Taliban insurgents who caused the senseless deaths of about 3,000 people in the last two years. (Photo Credit: Nizam Khan) =0=

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Labels: explosion, Islamic militants, killings, militant, military, Pakistan, suicide, suicide bombing, Swat Valley, Taliban, Totie Mesia

GMA orders to "annihilate" the Abu Sayyaf rebels; Erap vowed to "pulverize" them

8/16/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

It’s like the grand order of then Pres. Erap Estrada who vowed to “pulverize” the Islamic militants of Mindanao during his tenure. The ambitious "pulverization" till now is still a pipe dream. The dangerous Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu Sayyaf are strong as ever. They still freely operate with such impunity in Mindanao.

After the bloodbath in Basilan this week, Arroyo did her own saber-rattling----ostensibly vowing to annihilate the Moslem bandits responsible for the recent blatant killings. Faced with a humiliating casualties, she had to deal with the skirmish which left 50 people dead, 23 of whom are miltary men, including two army officers.

Abu Sayyaf, in cahoots with some MILF elements are reesponsible. These militants have been done hostage-taking and murders in the past under the noses of government forces. Arroyo and her military men therefore have strong reasons to raise their battle warnngs and execute them.

"The war against terror must be pursued. The annihilation of the Abu Sayyaf must be done,” Mrs. Arroyo told a command conference of security officials led by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Victor Ibrado at the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) headquarters here."---Philstar (08/16/09)

Pres. Arroyo assuages the public’s grief for the 23 military men who died. Attempting to shore-up the morale of the soldiers and their bereaved relatives, her order of “rapid annihilation” seems hard to realize.

Poverty fuels the discontent of the people in Southern Philippines. The bandits have support from the community where they operate, posing a big obstacle in defeating the terrorists. The Islamic rebels reflect the futility of force which makes violence a losing instrument of peace. (Photo Credit: Alvin Chan) =0=

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Basilan, casualty, Islamic militants, killings, MILF, MILF camps, military, Mindanao, Mindanao conflict, Mindanao war, Morolandia, Totie Mesia

Basilan gunbattle kills 23 government soldiers

8/14/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

Twenty three (23) military men died in a recent bloody clash with Abu Sayyaf fighters in Basilan, Mindanao on Wednesday, August 12, 2009. Government troops attacked the Moslem stronghold of Abu Sayyaf and engaged more than a hundred rebels in a day-long gunbattle leaving at least 21 militants dead.

Two young officers from the Army died among the 23 soldiers and another 22 were reported to have been wounded. The two were identified the junior Army officers as First Lieutenant Chester Barela of the Philippine Military Academy Class 2004 and First Lieutenant Dhel Jhun Evangelista (PMA Class 2006). The family of the officers have been informed.

The recent casualties bring to mind the fatalies on July 20, 2007 when 14 Marines were killed while trying to rescue Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi. Military men also died during attempts to rescue three Internatioal Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers kidnapped in Jolo, Sulu in January 2009. The three were eventually released by Abu Sayyaf captors after months of hostage negotiations.

The Abu Sayyaf is a notorious group of Islamic bandits with obscure socio-poliical objectives and mantains ties with the terrorist group Al Qaeda. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Al Qaeda, Basilan, Islamic militants, militant, Mindanao, Mindanao conflict, Moslem, terrorism, Toti Mesia

Suicide bombers kill 35 Shi’ite Muslims in Iraq

8/08/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

In a new expression of sectarian enmity, 35 Shi’ite Muslims were killed in a series of explosive detonations as pilgrims marked the birthday of the 12th Imam honored by the Shi’ites. A car bomb in Mosul blew up on Friday, August 7, 2009, causing death to dozens of attendees in a mosque. A bomb exploded in Baghdad killing at least 10 civilians.

The security in Iraq had been tight though violence somewhat subsided in past few months. It wasn’t clear who was responsible for the sectarian astrocities that put people on edge. Two separate suicide car bombings inflicting injuries and causing property damage occurred in Sadr City, also targeting Shi’ite Muslims. (Photo Credit: AFP/ Al Saadi, A.) =0=

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Labels: Iraq, Islamic militants, killings, Mosul, Muslim, Shiite, suicide bombing, Totie Mesia

Islamic sectarian violence in Nigeria

7/30/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

In the past few days, heavy fighting in the northeastern part of Nigeria raged as sectarian violence erupted leading to the burning of houses and death of hundreds of people.

Government troops are battling Islamic militants headed by a radical cleric and forcing thousands people to escape to avoid the chaos. Reacting to the disturbance which left many dead on the streets, the president of Nigeria Umaru Yar'Adua says the situation is under control.

“The violence, which the authorities said began with an attack on a police station in the town of Bauchi on Sunday that left at least 39 people dead, quickly spread across four states in a heavily Muslim region long troubled by religious unrest. In this instance it appeared to have been led by an obscure fundamentalist opposed to what the authorities call “Western education.”---New York Times/ AFP (07/28/09, Nossiter, A.)

Nigeria is populated by about 140 million composed of 50% Muslims mostly in the North and 50% Christians in the South. Since the imposition of strict Muslim Shariah law in 12 northern states a decade ago after years of military rule, about 10,000 died in the ensuing religious conflict. Extremists allied with the Muslim radicals wage war against western education.

An analyst believes the root cause of the problem is the severe economic difficulties rocking the area. In spite of richness in oil and fuel reserves of Nigeria, unemployment and hunger are prevalent.

According to the World Health, 54% of Nigerians subsist in less than $1 per day budget. The people are frustrated with the government for the lack of electricity, water, healthcare and other basic human services. (Photo Credit: AFP/graphicis; AFP/ Utomi Ekepei) =0=

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Labels: Africa, ethnic unrest, Islamic militants, killings, Nigeria, poverty, Totie Mesia, unemployment

8 killed in fresh fighting with Abu Sayyaf

6/12/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

At least 6 Abu Sayyaf rebels and two military troops died in a recent clash between the Islamic militants and government forces last Thurday, June 11, 2009 in Indanan, Jolo, Sulu. Four other soldiers were reportedly wounded during the encounter.

About 100 terrorists led by Abu Sayyaf Albader Parad clashed with the military in a planned combat operation which sought to rescue Italian Eugenio Vagni, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian worker still being held hostage since January 15, 2009.

According to Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, the soldiers who suffered injuries and died were hit by sharpnels from booby traps set up by the militant bandits. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Albader Parad, death, Eugenio Vagni, hostages, ICRC, Islamic militants, Jolo, killings, Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, military, Mindanao, Navy, Sulu, Toti Mesia

Militants bombed luxury hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan

6/10/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

The bombing that killed about 50 people last year in Marriott Hotel in Islamabad was reminiscent of the recent carnage in Pearl Continental Hotel a plush and popular hotel, the hang-out of foreigners and well-to-do Pakistanis.

Using a truck carrying deadly explosives, the suicide bombers brought down portion of the luxury hotel into rubble and caused a huge crater on the parking lot. The destruction claimed the lives of at least 11 people, injuring about 70 others, at least 9 individuals in critical condition. Several foreigners were among the dead and wounded.

“The violence was the latest in a string of powerful bomb attacks and ambushes in Pakistan's major cities while the country continues to wage an offensive against Taliban militants in the Swat Valley and surrounding regions. Pakistani authorities have characterized the attacks as retaliation by the Taliban for major gains made by Pakistani troops against militants since the military operation began in late April.” The Chicago Tribune/ LA Times (06/09/09 Zulfiqar Ali, Alex Rodriguez)

“U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the "heinous terrorist attack" in "the strongest possible terms," U.N. deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe said at U.N. headquarters in New York.”-----The Huffington Post / AP (06/09/09 Khan, Riaz)

The gunmen with their explosives barged into security at about 10 PM on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 as nightlife started in Peshawar, Pakistan’s largest Northeast city with a population of 2.2 million. The chaos that followed brought extensive loss of property, injuries, and senseless deaths.

The attack by terrorists was linked to the threats made public by the Al Qaeda-linked Taliban fighters who sought revenge against the bloody campaign they face against Pakistani security forces in Swat valley, a location close to the cities of Peshawar and Islamabad.

For the past weeks, about 15,000 Pakistani troops battled 7,000 Taliban Islamic militants prompting thousands of civilians to flee as the number of the dead mounted. A militia composed of civilians had been formed to kick out the Talibans in the area. (Photo credits: AFP Graphics; Reuters/ Ali Imam) =0=

Perseveranda So, a Filipina among the casualties in the Peshawar bombing

The 52-year-old Filipina Unicef worker devoted to education was unlucky to have been killed during the explosion that damaged the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Before her death, So, a dedicated Unicef Chief of Education helped in large measure the schooling of Filipinos through a program called Child Friendly School System. Her demise was announced by authorities of Unicef where she worked since 1994. =0=

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Labels: Al Qaeda, Islamabad, Islamic militants, killings, militant, military, mortality, Pakistan, Pearl Continental Hotel, Peshawar, suicide bombing, Swat Valley, Taliban, terrorism, Totie Mesia

Abu Sayyaf’s Italian hostage still languishes in captivity

5/09/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

""He was able to call his family in the morning of Friday 8 May. However, the entire situation is difficult for his loved ones, who of course remain very worried about him. We are keenly aware of the distress they are feeling…

It hurts to see people who respond to crisis with purely humanitarian intentions become the victims. We hope the kidnappers will heed our repeated appeals and release Eugenio safe and sound, without condition and without further delay."---ICRC Executive Alain Aeschlimann said. GMA TV News (05/08/09)

Reading about Eugenio Vagni, the Italian who is a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who is still a captive of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, Jolo Philippines, makes people think how evil can be so indiscriminate and unfair. At 62, the innocent humanitarian worker suffers needlessly since he was captured while working to help communities there.

Suffering from medical problems, Vagni is held as a hostage by Al Qaeda-affiliated bandits since January 15, 2009. Two of his companions, Swiss Andreas Notter and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba have been released. The ICRC, his family and the entire world are deeply worried that the efforts to gain his freedom are fruitless. Let us pray for Vagni’s safety and immediate release. (Photo Credit: Carlie Saceda)=0=

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Labels: Abu Sabaya, Eugenio Vagni, hostages, ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross, Islamic militants, Italy, Jolo, kidnapping, Mindanao, Sulu, terrorism, Totie Mesia

More Taliban fighting in nuclear-armed Pakistan

5/07/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

There is cause to worry when about a million Pakistanis abandon their villages as Taliban extremists occupy their homes and put landmines in buildings. It is feared that if Pakistan's nuclear arsenal get into the hands of the Taliban radicals, the risk of a nuclear catastrophe becomes increasingly real. Aside from the Islamic insurgency, Pakistan faces border threats from neighboring India.

“Pakistani security forces killed 35 militants on Wednesday in fighting in a mountain valley 100km (60 miles) northwest of the capital, a paramilitary force said.”----Telegraph.co uk. (05/06/09, Wilkinson, I)

Clashes between the Taliban and Pakistani forces come as a consequence of the failure of a 3-month truce forged by the two opposing sides. The curtailment of the Taliban has been the focus of the US government which lends support to Pakistan's faltering campaign versus violence and extremism.

“The tribal areas of the Northern West Frontier Regional Province (NWFP) that border Afghanistan are steadily falling to a creeping Taliban-led militancy. Military operations have proved ineffective and the militants have rejected offers of any ceasefire while government offices, the Chief Minister's house and military camps are now under attack in the area as well.”----http://wwww.adnkronos.com

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan president Hamid Karzai met with Barack Obama today to talk about the campaign against the Taliban. The Islamic militanta swept the Swat Valley and Buner areas about 60 miles from the Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad. As a consequence, 500,000 civilians had been caught in the crossfire, forcing them to leave villages and homes destroyed by a rebellion that wants to impose Islamic law.

“Acknowledging that 'the road ahead will be difficult,' Obama said he has made a 'lasting commitment' to not only defeat extremism in both countries but to salvage their shaky democracies.”----AP (05/06/07, Hurst, S)

Faced with a weak Zadari government and corruption in Afghanistan, the United States is left to work with its allies to counter the growing influence of the Taliban. Most of the military offensives done against the Taliban in recent years are inconclusive, needing more sustained effort and financial aid. America is saddled with this long and expensive war whose end remains unclear.(Photo Credit: Tanweeer x 2) =0=

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Labels: Afghanistan, insurgency, Islamabad, Islamic militants, nuclear hazard, Pakistan, Swat Valley, Taliban, Totie Mesia, war

Life on a balance: hostages can’t rely on the government for help?

4/02/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

For more than two months , Filipinos were asked to wait for the rescue of the three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers, but it appears nothing tangible has come out of the attempts to free the hostages

Ramon Casiple, director of the Institute for Political and Economic Reform says the government is handling the hostage crisis badly. He speaks of “bumbling” and the lack of cohesive plan to rescue the hostages that even the military admits.

“A disgusted Marines officer hit the government for its alleged weakness in handling the hostage crisis and choosing negotiations over the military option. He said the military stands to get the blame if something bad happens to the hostages.”---Malaya (04/02/09, Reyes, V)

After a skirmish that claimed the life of 3 soldiers and wounded 19 more, the rescue of Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba, Swiss Andreas Notter, and Italian Eugenio Vagni from the hideous Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits have met a perilous impasse. No reliable word about their fates are known after the deadline on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. The Abu Sayyaf extremists’ demand that government military personnel leave the area has not been met.

Now, it is a fearful wait and see. Filipinos are told the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) soldiers are cordoning the forest where the hostages and their kidnappers are holed. Is it a preparation to attack the Abu Sayyaf’s position and free the hostages?

Those who know what transpired in the deaths of hostages Guillermo Sobero, Deborah Yap, and Martin Burnham can only hope for the best. The innocent humanitarian ICRC workers don’t merit the inhuman treatment from Abu Sayyaf. So too are the unnamed captives who languish in the bandit's lair. The government rescue plan, branded as inutile, must do better to save them. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda x 2) =0=

UPDATE: Apri 2, 2009 reports suggest that the kidnappers have abandoned their position and splintered into groups in anticipation for a rescue operation. The condition of the three ICRC kidnapped victims are so far unknown.

RELATED BLOGS: "Abu Sayyaf extremists warn of beheading ICRC captives" Posted by mesiamd at 3/31/2009; "Hostage takers now demand $10 million ransom" Posted by mesiamd at 2/09/2009

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Labels: AFP, Andreas Notter, Eugenio Vagni, hostages, ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross, Islamic militants, Jolo, Mary Jean Lacaba, military, Sulu, Totie Mesia

Muslim religious leaders must also seek the release of Red Cross workers

2/26/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

Islamic religious leaders have climbed the mountains of Sampinit in Mindanao to seek the freedom of Umar Jaleel, a peaceworker from Sri Lanka who was abducted by nine armed men believed to be part of the notorious Abu Sayaff group led by Puruji Indama.

“Because the victim is also a Muslim preacher, the Muslim religious leaders went to the mountains to negotiate for his release,” according to the member of the group trying to solve the crisis." ---Philstar (02/25, 09, Pareno, R)

Basilan Vice Gov. Al Rasheed Sakalahul who heads the provincial crisis management committee says Ulamas who believe hostage-taking is against Islam are out to seek the release of Jaleel, a Muslim.

If kidnapping is against their beliefs, these religious leaders must work for the freedom of other innocent victims---like Swiss Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba, the three International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) humanitarian workers being held in Sulu, Mindanao since they were forcibly snatched in January 15, 2009. At the time of kidnapping they were doing charity work for prisoners in the area. (Photo Credit: AmUnivers) =0=

UPDATE:“Please tell them, if possible, if they can, to quicken the process. It has become very hard and truly painful. Physically and emotionally, it’s really very, very hard,” said Mary Jean Lacaba, the Filipino captive in the ICRC kidnapping said in a phone interview last Feb 25, 2009.---PDI (02/28/09, de la Cruz, A)

RELATED BLOG: "Three kidnapped Red Cross workers still missing in Mindanao" Posted by mesiamd at 1/21/2009

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Basilan, hostages, ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross, Islamic militants, kidnapping, Mindanao, terrorism, Toti Mesia, Umar Jaleel

Hostage takers now demand $10 million ransom

2/09/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

The modus operandi of the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers has unraveled just as expected. After three weeks of holding workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)--- Italian Eugenio Vagni, Swiss Adreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba, Abu Sayyaf through the Moro Islamic Libration Front (MILF) has stopped treating them as “guests.”

Just as expected, Albader Parad, leader of the notorious Abu Sayyaf kidnappers announced they are demanding $10 million ransom for the three innocent human beings who were there on a humanitarian work to benefit the Sulu prisoners. This extortion demand is more despicable when these criminals say, as in the past, the money is for the hostages’ “board and lodging” obligations.

This hideous development brings the kidnapping on a more difficult plane. Advocating a news blackout, the military has been so far helpless. The ICRC follows a no ransom policy in dealing with criminal elements. In line with the no-negotiation-no ransom policy of the government, the ICRC joins religious, student and community groups in denouncing the abductions and demand the release of the victims.

Kidnapping has been an anathema against peace and progress in the Southern Philippines where the Muslims are concentrated. Barbarism which masquerades as an opportunity to drum up sympathy for the Muslims only send in the message of lawlessness and lack of moral values of Islamic extemists. Hostage-taking has been a source of shame for the government and the Filipino people. (Photo Credit: AP/ Favila, A) =0=

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, hostages, ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross, Islamic militants, kidnapping, MILF, Mindanao, Muslim, ransom, Toti Mesia

Abu Sayyaf kidnapped victims appeal for help; their fates still in limbo

2/06/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post

Three weeks after the three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were abducted while doing humanitarian work for Sulu prisoners in Southern Philippines, they sent an appeal to the world, particularly the local authorities to work on their release. The Abu Sayyaf Islamic group with Al Qaeda ties had been holding them in an undisclosed forested location while demanding that the military with a force of about 1,000 soldiers pull out from the area.

"Please try to... deal with them, try to find a way to pull us out," Eugenio Vagni, the 62-year-old engineer, said in an interview aired by a local radio. "We call on concerned authorities to choose to negotiate with the group, to negotiate and we hope that they will take this effort seriously," said Swiss Andreas Notter, 38, the head of ICRC team abducted in Jolo island on Jan. 15 after a prison sanitation project inspection.----GMA News.tv / Xinhua (02/05/09)

The initial maneuvers to secure their freedom have not worked. Italian Eugenio Vagni, Swiss Andreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba are reportedly treated “well,” but this doesn’t guarantee that this situation will hold until a happy end.

The public reception of the abduction is tepid; there's practically no outrage from Filipinos and people abroad who have been numbed by banditry in this location. Military officers pin on secrecy and news black out “to protect the safety” of the abducted victims. Behind the scene however, there are those who question the competency of the government in handling the hostage situation. The US embassy in Manila has offered their help and ICRC officials mulls on how the three victims could be rescued.

The longer the abducted workers are held, the public sees clearly the brutality and evil terrorism inflicts on the world. The Abu Sayyaf militants speak of “guest treatment,” on their victims, but it won’t be long when their real motivation comes to light. Nobody will be surprised if ransom, intimidation, and physical harm become the center piece of their familiar modus operandi. (Photo Credit: JezICRCGeneva; Charlie Salceda)=0=

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Labels: Abu Sayyaf, Al Qaeda, ICRC, Islamic militants, Jolo, kidnapping, militant, military, Mindanao, Sulu, terrorism, Toti Mesia

UP Ibalon Bicol

Barbaric beheading of a school principal in Patikul, Sulu

$2 million ransom demanded for Fr. Sinnott’s release

US terrorist plots more real than Americans realize

More fatalities in Abu Sayyaf firefight

Suicide bomber kills 16 military recruits in Swat Valley

GMA orders to "annihilate" the Abu Sayyaf rebels; Erap vowed to "pulverize" them

Basilan gunbattle kills 23 government soldiers

Suicide bombers kill 35 Shi’ite Muslims in Iraq

Islamic sectarian violence in Nigeria

8 killed in fresh fighting with Abu Sayyaf

Militants bombed luxury hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan

Abu Sayyaf’s Italian hostage still languishes in captivity

More Taliban fighting in nuclear-armed Pakistan

Life on a balance: hostages can’t rely on the government for help?

Muslim religious leaders must also seek the release of Red Cross workers

Hostage takers now demand $10 million ransom

Abu Sayyaf kidnapped victims appeal for help; their fates still in limbo

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