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| Southeast Asia |
| Photo shows pair kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf still alive |
| 2013-08-03 |
| A photograph of two Malaysian cousins kidnapped by Filipino gunmen in Lahad Datu in November has surfaced, raising hopes that the two hostages are still alive. A photograph of Chong Wei Fei and Chong Wei Jie was delivered by a contact to the press via email on Thursday. In the photograph, the two Chongs are seeing holding up a sign saying "March 7, 2013" as the kidnappers have guns trained on them. A source said, "The two hostages are asking why nobody has come to help release them. They are suffering from diabetes and hypertension." According to the source, the hostages have been regularly moved from one hideout to another on Jolo island, in the southern Philippines since their abduction more than eight months ago. Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib recently said that police knew both abductees were alive and wanted to re-establish contact that was disrupted in the wake of the Sulu armed group intrusion in February. Saying that it was vital to re-establish communications with the abductors, he said they were waiting for their next demand. It is believed that the gunmen had agreed on a price as ransom prior to the Sulu incursion but negotiations were abandoned when Malaysian troops launched a massive operation to flush out the Sulu armed group from Sabah soil. |
| Posted by:ryuge |