Sayyaf kidnapping spree foiled

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The military may have foiled another massive kidnapping operation by the Abu Sayyaf following the arrest of 11 of its members and followers riding a speedboat near a coastal village of this southern port city the other day.

Armed Forces Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu said yesterday the seized speedboat had five huge outboard engines that could sustain "extensive travel time for almost 20 persons."

"The boat was a potential mode of transport for kidnapping operations here and Basilan. The bandits were trying to hatch another plot to kidnap more victims, but were prevented because of the interception of the vessel," Cimatu said. "This is a big blow to their operation and terroristic activities."

Cimatu noted that the speedboat is faster than most of the Philippine Navy’s patrol gunboats and can easily escape pursuit since it can cover great distances.

Cimatu said seven of the suspects have been positively identified as members of the extremist group, while four are believed to be supporters.

Earlier, the military received intelligence reports of a new plot to stage another kidnapping spree in retaliation for the relentless pursuit operations by the military against the main Abu Sayyaf group in the jungles of Basilan.

The main group is still holding on to American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina nurse Deborah Yap. The Americans were abducted in May last year along with more than a dozen tourists and workers of the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan while Yap was seized from a hospital in Lantawan a week later.

In April 2000, the Abu Sayyaf abducted 21 mostly foreign tourists from Malaysia’s Sipadan resort. They were later released following the reported payment of millions in dollars in ransom.

Shortly after midnight Friday, 11 Abu Sayyaf men were on board a speedboat that was seen crossing the Basilan Strait when they were chased by combined Navy and Marines troopers. The suspects were forced to land in Sta. Catalina, a coastal village here populated mostly by Muslims.

Seized from them were two automatic rifles, a fragmentation grenade and several documents. The military has been keeping a tight watch over the Basilan Strait, anticipating the flight of the bandits who are now being pursued by elite Filipino troops assisted by members of the US Special Forces.

Last week, two suspected Abu Sayyaf members also on board a speedboat were arrested by the Marines. One of the suspects told the military that the main Abu Sayyaf group was taking the hostages out of Basilan.

However, Cimatu ruled out the possibility the group had already escaped from Basilan with the hostages by boat.

"That is far from reality. The Abu Sayyaf and their hostages are still in the Basilan jungles," he said.

Government troops encountered fighters from the main group in three separate occasions in Lantawan town last week.