Still no word on abducted Sri Lankan peace worker

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Basilan officials are worried about the fate of a Sri Lankan peace worker who was kidnapped last Feb. 13, as there has been no word from his captors.

Basilan Vice Gov. Al-Rasheed Sakalahul said the Abu Sayyaf group led by Puruji Indama, which is holding captive Umar Jaleel, of the Geneva-based Nonviolent Peaceforce, has not established any contact with the authorities.

“We are quite worried because we have not heard anything yet on the Sri Lankan victim because the kidnappers have not shown even a proof of life even to this day,” Sakalahul said.

Nine armed men seized Jaleel, 36, from his office in Lamitan City.

Sakalahul said they have received unconfirmed information that Jaleel is now in the custody of Indama’s group, which was behind the beheading of 14 Marines two years ago.

Sakalahul earlier said the Moro Islamic Liberation Front had mobilized its forces to help locate the Sri Lankan peace worker, but had failed so far.

The military believes that Jaleel is still alive.

Commodore Alexander Pama, chief of Task Force Trillium, admitted that government troops have not made any sighting of the peace worker.

Five other victims – three teachers, a nine-year-old boy and an employee of a lending company – are still being held by their kidnappers for over a month now.