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| Philippine Officials Suspect Severed Head Belongs to Kidnap Victim | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| MANILA — Philippine military officials have not yet confirmed the identity of a man whose severed head was left in a bag in front of a police station this week, but they continue to suspect that it belonged to a kidnapped Malaysian man who was said to have been beheaded by militants. | MANILA — Philippine military officials have not yet confirmed the identity of a man whose severed head was left in a bag in front of a police station this week, but they continue to suspect that it belonged to a kidnapped Malaysian man who was said to have been beheaded by militants. |
| The head, which was discovered on Tuesday in the city of Jolo, is believed to belong to Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39, an engineer who officials have said was abducted from Malaysia in May and taken to the island of Jolo in the southern Philippines. Officials say they believe that Abu Sayyaf, a small but brutal kidnap-for-ransom gang, was responsible for the kidnapping and the beheading. | The head, which was discovered on Tuesday in the city of Jolo, is believed to belong to Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39, an engineer who officials have said was abducted from Malaysia in May and taken to the island of Jolo in the southern Philippines. Officials say they believe that Abu Sayyaf, a small but brutal kidnap-for-ransom gang, was responsible for the kidnapping and the beheading. |
| “The head was left inside a sack with a note that had the name of the Malaysian national on it,” said Capt. Roy Vincent Trinidad, part of a Philippine military task force that is pursuing the kidnappers. “The facial features are similar, but we cannot confirm the identity until forensic tests are done.” | “The head was left inside a sack with a note that had the name of the Malaysian national on it,” said Capt. Roy Vincent Trinidad, part of a Philippine military task force that is pursuing the kidnappers. “The facial features are similar, but we cannot confirm the identity until forensic tests are done.” |
| The head was discovered the same day that Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia arrived in the Philippines for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting, but there was no indication that the two events were linked, officials said. The Philippines has initiated one of the most extensive security operations in its history to secure Manila for the meeting, a trade conference that has attracted more than a dozen leaders, including President Obama and President Xi Jinping of China. | The head was discovered the same day that Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia arrived in the Philippines for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting, but there was no indication that the two events were linked, officials said. The Philippines has initiated one of the most extensive security operations in its history to secure Manila for the meeting, a trade conference that has attracted more than a dozen leaders, including President Obama and President Xi Jinping of China. |
| Reports of the beheading prompted outrage in Malaysia, where several citizens have been kidnapped by Filipino criminal gangs along its maritime border with the Philippines. | Reports of the beheading prompted outrage in Malaysia, where several citizens have been kidnapped by Filipino criminal gangs along its maritime border with the Philippines. |
| “I, the government and all Malaysians are shocked and sickened by the murder of our countryman Bernard Then and we condemn it in its strongest terms,” Mr. Najib said on his Facebook page Wednesday. “We call upon authorities to take action against those who have perpetrated this savage and barbaric act and ensure that they are brought to justice.” | “I, the government and all Malaysians are shocked and sickened by the murder of our countryman Bernard Then and we condemn it in its strongest terms,” Mr. Najib said on his Facebook page Wednesday. “We call upon authorities to take action against those who have perpetrated this savage and barbaric act and ensure that they are brought to justice.” |
| Mr. Then was eating dinner in May at a seafood restaurant along the shore in the Malaysian state of Sabah when he was abducted, along with an owner of the establishment, Thien Nyuk Fun, 50. They were taken to Jolo, an island about 600 miles south of Manila where Abu Sayyaf is known to operate, officials said at the time. Ms. Thien was released this month, reportedly after a ransom was paid. | Mr. Then was eating dinner in May at a seafood restaurant along the shore in the Malaysian state of Sabah when he was abducted, along with an owner of the establishment, Thien Nyuk Fun, 50. They were taken to Jolo, an island about 600 miles south of Manila where Abu Sayyaf is known to operate, officials said at the time. Ms. Thien was released this month, reportedly after a ransom was paid. |
| Military intelligence reports had indicated that Abu Sayyaf was holding Mr. Then, Captain Trinidad said. The group had threatened to behead him and post a video of the episode online, but no such video has surfaced, he said. | Military intelligence reports had indicated that Abu Sayyaf was holding Mr. Then, Captain Trinidad said. The group had threatened to behead him and post a video of the episode online, but no such video has surfaced, he said. |
| No headless cadaver has been located, Captain Trinidad added. The police and military are searching the small Jolo town of Indanan, based on intelligence reports that the episode took place near there, he said. | No headless cadaver has been located, Captain Trinidad added. The police and military are searching the small Jolo town of Indanan, based on intelligence reports that the episode took place near there, he said. |
| The administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III has pursued a two-pronged approach to stop the kidnappings that have plagued the southern Philippines. The military has undertaken sustained operations against the most violent of the rebel and kidnap-for-ransom groups operating in the island of Mindanao. | The administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III has pursued a two-pronged approach to stop the kidnappings that have plagued the southern Philippines. The military has undertaken sustained operations against the most violent of the rebel and kidnap-for-ransom groups operating in the island of Mindanao. |
| At the same time, the government entered into peace talks with the country’s largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has not been directly implicated in kidnapping activities. The government had hoped that a deal would bring greater prosperity to Mindanao, which is chronically impoverished, and reduce the incentive for kidnapping and rebellion. But the deal has since been stalled in Congress. | At the same time, the government entered into peace talks with the country’s largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has not been directly implicated in kidnapping activities. The government had hoped that a deal would bring greater prosperity to Mindanao, which is chronically impoverished, and reduce the incentive for kidnapping and rebellion. But the deal has since been stalled in Congress. |
| The number of foreign hostages held in the southern Philippines had declined in recent years, but in the last seven months, abductions of foreigners has increased. In September, two Canadian men, a Norwegian man and a Filipino woman were kidnapped from a beach resort near the southern city of Davao. The four are believed to be held by Abu Sayyaf, which released a video showing the captives kneeling and being threatened in front of flags of the Islamic State. The group has demanded more than $60 million for their release. | The number of foreign hostages held in the southern Philippines had declined in recent years, but in the last seven months, abductions of foreigners has increased. In September, two Canadian men, a Norwegian man and a Filipino woman were kidnapped from a beach resort near the southern city of Davao. The four are believed to be held by Abu Sayyaf, which released a video showing the captives kneeling and being threatened in front of flags of the Islamic State. The group has demanded more than $60 million for their release. |
| In May 2000, Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 21 people from a beach resort off the coast of Sabah in Malaysia. In 2001, the group beheaded an American, Guillermo Sobero, 40, whom they had kidnapped with other vacationers from a resort on the Philippine island of Palawan. | In May 2000, Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 21 people from a beach resort off the coast of Sabah in Malaysia. In 2001, the group beheaded an American, Guillermo Sobero, 40, whom they had kidnapped with other vacationers from a resort on the Philippine island of Palawan. |