American hostage an arms dealer: report
MANILA, Sept 3 (AFP) - An
American held hostage by Muslim extremists in the Philippines was brokering an arms deal
with them before he was seized, a newspaper reported Sunday.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer,
quoting members of the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping gang in the island of Jolo, said Jeffrey
Schilling, 24, had been invited to visit their camp to finalize an arms deal.
But a heated religious debate
deteriorated into accusations that he was a spy, leading the rebels to seize him, the
paper said.
The Inquirer said Schilling had
been negotiating the arms deal with the group's spokesman Abu Sabaya for days before he
was taken hostage on August 27.
Sabaya invited Schilling, a
Muslim convert, to visit the Abu Sayyaf's camp in Jolo to "get the shopping list and
to get further instructions which could not be discussed over the phone," the
Inquirer reported.
Schilling then went to Jolo
from nearby Zamboanga city with his Filipina girlfriend Ivy Osana, who is now in police
custody after admitting she is related to Sabaya.
Once in Jolo, Schilling was
told to wear traditional Muslim clothes to avoid suspicion as he travelled to the rebel's
camp where he met with Sabaya and Abu Sayyaf commander Khadafy Janjalani, the paper said.
Schilling later provoked his
hosts at dinner when he entered into a heated religious debate with Abu Sayyaf members and
criticized the group's leadership, the report said.
Janjalani, who listened
intently while Schilling spoke, then asked him if he knew an African-American Muslim named
Shaun who visited the Abu Sayyaf camp two years ago and is suspected of being a spy for
the US Central Intelligence Agency.
When Schilling said yes,
"all hell broke loose," the Inquirer said.
"There was a scuffle and
suddenly, Schilling had become a hostage," the Inquirer quoted one Abu Sayyaf member
as saying.
Osani, Schilling's girlfriend,
was later told to return to Zamboanga city.
The Inquirer said Schilling was
being kept in a small hut in Patikul town and was guarded by at least 10 to 15 men. It
said the hostage was free to walk around the hut alhtough his hands are tied behind his
back.
Schilling was also reportedly
having problems with his vision because his contact lenses needed to be cleaned.
US officials have denied that
Schilling is a spy and described him as an innocent tourist, while his mother said he was
only in the Philippines because he fell in love with Osani.
Schilling is the latest victim
of the Abu Sayyaf. Another faction of the group is still holding six European hostages.
A government-appointed
negotiator said Sunday said he was confident he would secure the American's release in two
weeks.
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