Hijackers Demand $1.5 Million for 10 Indonesian Captives
Jakarta, 20 Jumadil Akhir 1437/30 March 2016 (MINA) – The notorious Abu Sayyaf Group allegedly behind the abduction of 10 Indonesians aboard two vessels has demanded a US$1.1 million ($1.5 million) ransom for their release, news portal tempo.co cited officials as saying.
Two Indonesian flagged vessels, the tugboat Brahma 12 and the barge Anand 12, carrying 7,000 tonnes of coal and 10 Indonesian crew, were seized by the bandits, according to information from the Foreign Ministry.
The hijackers asked for 50 million pesos or Rp 15 billion (US$1.1 million), National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso said yesterday.
“The crew are being held hostage but treated well. The hijackers asked for a ransom,” he said.
The vessels were hijacked after departing from the Puting River in South Kalimantan for Batangas in Luzon island, Philippines. The Brahma 12 has been released and is in the hands of the Philippine authorities.
The vessels’ owner found out about the hijacking on Saturday after receiving two phone calls from a stranger claiming to be a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group.
Indonesia’s foreign minister Retno Marsudi told a news conference she is working with Indonesian officials and Philippine authorities to coordinate a rescue.
“Our priority is the safety of 10 Indonesian nationals who are now still in the hands of the hostage takers,” she said.
Abu Sayyaf, which is on US and Philippine lists of terrorist organisations, is notorious for bombings, extortions and kidnappings for ransom in Mindanao, south of the Philippines.
It has been weakened by years of US-backed Philippine offensives but remains a security threat.
If confirmed as the work of Abu Sayyaf, the kidnapping would be among its largest number of hostages since 2001.
In the Philippines, army Major General Demy Tejares said that troops were trying to verify reports that the Indonesians were brought by their abductors to the southern province of Sulu and that an Abu Sayyaf commander notorious for kidnappings for ransom, Alhabsi Misaya, was involved.
“There is information pointing to Sulu as the destination so we’re monitoring it,” Tejares said of the predominantly Muslim province 590 miles (950 kilometres) south of Manila, where several kidnapping victims are believed to be held in the jungles by Abu Sayyaf militants. (T/R07/R01)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
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