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| Science & Technology |
| 7 abducted by suspected Abu militants in S Philippines |
| 2008-04-09 |
| (Xinhua) -- Suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels hijacked a jeep transporting fuel and seized all its driver and six passengers at a village in Maimbung town in the Philippines' southern province of Sulu, police said on Tuesday. Police said the kidnapping occurred in the village of Kulasi where Abu Sayyaf militants had kidnapped a Muslim teacher last week, Philippine cable news network GMA reported. "There is an ongoing investigation and police reports said the people were seized in Kulasi village by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits headed by Gafur Jumdail," said Julasirim Kasim, police chief of the province. He said the victims, all local Muslims, were on a jeep transporting six drums of gasoline when gunmen flagged down their jeep. "We still don't know the motive of the kidnapping. It could be grudge or anything," Kasim said. Last week, suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels abducted and subsequently freed Lullong Marrack, a 60-year-old Muslim teacher, in Kulasi village. He was unharmed in the incident. It was not known whether or not Marrack's family paid ransom in exchange for his freedom, although there were reports that the family negotiated with the bandits. Kasim said it is likely that the gang behind Marrack's abduction was the same one behind the kidnapping of the seven people. Maimbung is a known lair of the Abu Sayyaf, a loosely organized group with some 380 members reportedly linked to Osama bin Laden'sal-Qaeda terrorist network and responsible for a series of kidnappings. The group is currently holding trader Rosalie Lao, who was kidnapped in January. |
| Posted by:Fred |