Dozen killed in fighting among Muslim extremist
kidnappers
JOLO, Philippines, Sept 10
(AFP) - More than a dozen Abu Sayyaf Muslim kidnappers were killed in factional gun
battles over ransom money Saturday, sources close to hostage negotiations said Sunday.
Abu Sayyaf leaders Galib Andang
and Mujib Susukan were to bury the dead at noon Sunday and hold a meeting later, with the
possibility of revenge attacks high on the agenda, the sources said.
Andang, also known as Commander
Robot, and Susukan were among 20 people wounded in the gunbattle after being attacked by
another faction as they were about to free four Europeans after 140 days in captivity.
The German, two Finns and a
Frenchman were the last remaining European hostages among 21 tourists and resort workers
snatched by Andang's group from a Malaysian resort in April.
The rest were freed in batches
earlier and the only remaining Sipadan hostage is a Filipino dive instructor.
The Abu Sayyaf officially freed
the hostages in exchange for pledges of "development aid" from Libya, but
reports said Tripoli also paid millions of dollars in ransom.
Philippine intelligence sources
said the rebels had used their cash to purchase more guns, vehicles and hire more people,
but that some Abu Sayyaf rebels were not satisfied with their share of the loot.
"Robot and Mujib are busy
tending to their dead who are to be buried at noon. Both are expected to carry out a
revenge shortly after that," a source said.
Andang's group still holds 15
other Filipinos while two other factions are holding two French television journalists and
an American hostage.
If a revenge attack takes place
later Sunday, it could derail government efforts to free the two French television
journalists, the sources said.
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