| SAYYAF MEN
FREE GERMAN NEWS REPORTER THE Jolo-based Abu
Sayyaf terrorists released yesterday Andreas Lorenz, a reporter for Germany’s Der
Spiegel magazine who was abducted 25 days earlier while covering a group of 21 mostly
foreign hostages held in the hinterlands of the island capital of Sulu.
But the fate of
the ransomed but still held three Malaysian nationals remained hanging because of the
unmet demand for more money by the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
A faction of the
bandits led by Ghalib Andang a.k.a. Commander Robot and Mulib Susukan held on to the
Malaysians because they were short changed in the distribution of the ransom money, a
source told THE MANILA TIMES.
The two are
demanding an additional P20 million for the Malaysians’ freedom and the ransom to be
handled by their appointed go-betweens.
Sources said
Andang and Susukan accused former go-betweens of “shaving off” their share of
the ransom money earlier paid for the Malaysian hostages.
Andang was quoted
by an informant as saying, “I don’t trust the emissaries anymore because the
money we received was not exact.” (Di na ako mangandul kanila palihalan kulang in sin
duyubal kamu) Andang said in Tausog.
Six journalists
Lorenz was among
six journalists being held by the Abu Sayyaf rebel group. All were seized while reporting
on the hostages abducted in April from a Malaysian diving resort.
A Der Spiegel
editor, Ulaf Ihlao, flew yesterday to southern Jolo Island to receive Lorenz from the
rebels.
Lorenz was seized
July 2 by four armed men who had agreed to guide him to an Abu Sayyaf hideout where he
hoped to interview three Germans held by the rebels.
-- Faber Concepcion with AP
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