[Reuters] Islamist militants seized four Indonesians on the crew of a tugboat in the southern Philippines on Friday night, the third attack on slow moving vessels in about a month, as troops battled Muslim insurgents on a nearby island.Major Filemon Tan said seven gunmen in a blue speed boat attacked two Indonesian flagged tugboats off the southernmost island of Sitangkay in Tawi-tawi and took the four crewmembers. Tan said, "We don't exactly know who took them but the only lawless group operating in that area is the Abu Sayyaf," adding ten Indonesians and four Malaysians were also abducted in two separate incidents early this month in the area.
The Indonesian foreign ministry said six other crewmembers were left behind but one was shot. It said, "He is in stable condition now," the foreign ministry said, adding Malaysian water police evacuated the injured crew to a hospital in eastern Sabah state, where the two vessels were towed to safety.
The military said the militants have been targeting foreign crewmembers of slow-moving boats because increased security has prevented them from penetrating resorts and coastal towns in Sabah.
The Abu Sayyaf has stepped up activities on the remote islands. Last week, rebels killed 18 soldiers and injured more than 50 others in an ambush on Basilan island, prompting a massive military offensive with artillery and aerial bombings. The Philippine military said 28 militants had died in the week of fighting.
On nearby Jolo island, rebels gave a final deadline of April 25 for payment of $6.50 million ransom for each of the two Canadians and a Norwegian captive or they will behead the three hostages.