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Western Hostages in Philippines Plead for Their Lives in New Video Western Hostages in Philippines Plead for Their Lives in New Video
(35 minutes later)
MANILA — Two Canadians and a Norwegian man being held by Islamic extremists in the southern Philippines pleaded for their lives in a video that was uploaded to social media sites on Thursday, saying they would be killed in a month if their kidnappers’ demands were not met.MANILA — Two Canadians and a Norwegian man being held by Islamic extremists in the southern Philippines pleaded for their lives in a video that was uploaded to social media sites on Thursday, saying they would be killed in a month if their kidnappers’ demands were not met.
The three hostages, all emaciated, bearded and shirtless, were videotaped while on their knees being threatened by a man wielding a knife and surrounded by other men in fatigues holding automatic weapons.The three hostages, all emaciated, bearded and shirtless, were videotaped while on their knees being threatened by a man wielding a knife and surrounded by other men in fatigues holding automatic weapons.
The Canadian government has to “do what is necessary to get us out of here soon,” said one of the Canadians, Robert Hall, as his countryman, John Ridsdel, screamed while his neck was twisted by one of the captors.The Canadian government has to “do what is necessary to get us out of here soon,” said one of the Canadians, Robert Hall, as his countryman, John Ridsdel, screamed while his neck was twisted by one of the captors.
The two men, along with Kjartan Sekkingstad of Norway and Marites Flor, a Filipino woman, were abducted from a southern Philippine resort in September by members of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic extremist group that has been operating as a kidnap-for-ransom business around the island of Mindanao for more than a decade.The two men, along with Kjartan Sekkingstad of Norway and Marites Flor, a Filipino woman, were abducted from a southern Philippine resort in September by members of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic extremist group that has been operating as a kidnap-for-ransom business around the island of Mindanao for more than a decade.
“Try to meet their demands in 30 days or we are all dead,” Mr. Sekkingstad said to the camera. Ms. Flor does not speak in the video but can be seen kneeling with her head down near the other captives.“Try to meet their demands in 30 days or we are all dead,” Mr. Sekkingstad said to the camera. Ms. Flor does not speak in the video but can be seen kneeling with her head down near the other captives.
The embassies of the foreign captives have declined to comment on the demands being made by the kidnappers, although in November the group released a video demanding one billion pesos, or about $21 million, for each hostage. Restituto Padilla Jr., a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said Thursday evening that the video is being authenticated and military operations were continuing. The embassies of the foreign captives have declined to comment on the demands being made by the kidnappers, although in November the group released a video demanding one billion pesos, or about $21 million, for each hostage. Restituto Padilla Jr., a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said Thursday evening that the video was being authenticated and that military operations were continuing.
According to Matt Williams, the Philippines country director for Pacific Strategies & Assessments, a risk mitigation company that tracks rebel groups, the release of a dramatic, threatening video is a common tactic of the group.According to Matt Williams, the Philippines country director for Pacific Strategies & Assessments, a risk mitigation company that tracks rebel groups, the release of a dramatic, threatening video is a common tactic of the group.
“The Abu Sayyaf are seasoned negotiators and look at kidnappings as commercial transactions,” Mr. Williams said in an email. “Setting ransom deadlines is straight out of their playbook and typically reflects a growing impatience with the speed of negotiations. However, Abu Sayyaf leadership have a history of extending deadlines at the eleventh hour.” He added that the one-month deadline is more of a “bargaining chip.”“The Abu Sayyaf are seasoned negotiators and look at kidnappings as commercial transactions,” Mr. Williams said in an email. “Setting ransom deadlines is straight out of their playbook and typically reflects a growing impatience with the speed of negotiations. However, Abu Sayyaf leadership have a history of extending deadlines at the eleventh hour.” He added that the one-month deadline is more of a “bargaining chip.”
According to the military, the same group is believed to be holding other foreigners. They include Rolando del Torchio, an Italian who was dragged from his pizzeria in the southern Philippines last year, and Ewold Horn, a Dutch bird watcher who was abducted in 2012. The group is also holding Toshio Ito, a Japanese treasure hunter abducted in 2010.According to the military, the same group is believed to be holding other foreigners. They include Rolando del Torchio, an Italian who was dragged from his pizzeria in the southern Philippines last year, and Ewold Horn, a Dutch bird watcher who was abducted in 2012. The group is also holding Toshio Ito, a Japanese treasure hunter abducted in 2010.
In November, the group killed a Malaysian hostage and left his severed head on the doorstep of a southern Philippine police station.In November, the group killed a Malaysian hostage and left his severed head on the doorstep of a southern Philippine police station.
Abu Sayyaf has received financial and technical support from Al Qaeda in the past, according to the United States military, which stationed Special Forces in the southern Philippines for more than a decade to help Filipino soldiers fight the extremists. But security analysts and the Philippine military have said that despite the high-profile association with Al Qaeda, the group operates primarily as a nonideological for-profit criminal organization.Abu Sayyaf has received financial and technical support from Al Qaeda in the past, according to the United States military, which stationed Special Forces in the southern Philippines for more than a decade to help Filipino soldiers fight the extremists. But security analysts and the Philippine military have said that despite the high-profile association with Al Qaeda, the group operates primarily as a nonideological for-profit criminal organization.
The Philippine government signed a preliminary peace deal in 2012 with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim insurgent group in the Philippines, but the smaller and more extreme Abu Sayyaf was not included in the negotiations. Although government negotiators signed the deal, the measure stalled in the Philippine legislature and has not been carried out.The Philippine government signed a preliminary peace deal in 2012 with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim insurgent group in the Philippines, but the smaller and more extreme Abu Sayyaf was not included in the negotiations. Although government negotiators signed the deal, the measure stalled in the Philippine legislature and has not been carried out.
A senior leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Murad Ebrahim, said on Monday that the legislature’s failure to approve the peace deal had caused frustration in Mindanao and could result in more people in the southern Philippines joining extremist organizations.A senior leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Murad Ebrahim, said on Monday that the legislature’s failure to approve the peace deal had caused frustration in Mindanao and could result in more people in the southern Philippines joining extremist organizations.