American hostage speaks to mother through radio
link
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines, Sept 22
(AFP) - An American being held hostage by Muslim extremists in the southern Philippines
spoke Friday to his mother in the United States through a telephone link-up arranged by
his captors.
In the conversation broadcast
live by local radio station DXRZ, Jeffrey Schilling said he was fine. He appealed once
more for an end to a major military operation aimed at rescuing the 17 remaining hostages
and destroying the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers.
Schilling told his mother Carol
Schilling to "make sure to tell the Filipino government to stop the operation because
right now that's the biggest theat to my life." The hook-up was arranged by the radio
station.
He denied reports that he was
being tortured by the Abu Sayyaf or that they forced him to make an earlier taped
statement aired on radio, in which he called for a halt to the attack and asked that the
US government step in.
"The problem is that if
they don't negotiate, then I can't be released," the 24-year-old Oakland native said,
referring to the government's decision to call off talks with the kidnappers.
His mother replied: "I am
so heartened to hear your voice and I know your message has been conveyed to the
Philippine government and I would hope that the Abu Sayyaf would release you. I am praying
every day that a peaceful solution would be found."
Schilling said: "So far,
your prayers have worked because I haven't been mistreated."
His mother said she was also
praying that her son would "not be influenced by those who may do him harm."
Schilling said that "if I
do die because of the operations of the Philippine government, make sure you look after
Ivy."
He was refering to Ivy Usani,
his Filipina wife who took him to the Abu Sayyaf hideout in Jolo island on August 28 where
he was kidnapped.
Usani, a relative of an Abu
Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya, was allowed to return to the southern city of Zamboanga. But
police detained her after suspicions arose that she had been working with the kidnap gang
from the start.
Schilling told his mother he
heard that Ivy was pregnant, adding: "If she is, look after the baby."
Schilling said he was well but
tired because "we are walking all day and night to avoid the military."
Just before the US hostage
spoke, his captor Abu Sabaya, who leads an Abu Sayyaf faction, said that "the
military operation has not affected us but has affected many civilians."
He hinted that his faction was
no longer in Jolo island where they seized Schilling, remarking that there was no cellular
phone signal on the island.
The faction leader accused
soldiers of stealing livestock and killing civilians on suspicion that they were Abu
Sayyaf members.
Abu Sabaya said they were not
afraid to fight the military and threatened again to attack towns in the region in
retaliation for the military operation.
He said they had been foiled
earlier this week "but one of these days, they'll just be surprised."
It was not clear if he was
referring to a bomb which exploded aboard a ferry as it docked at Zamboanga City on
Wednesday, killing the suspected bomber and injuring seven.
"This is a big black eye
to the Philippines and the Americn government because this group (Abu Sayyaf) has not been
destroyed," Abu Sabaya said.
The government launched a major
ground and air attack against the kidnappers on Saturday, five months after they seized 21
hostages from a Malaysian resort. All but one of those have been freed but others were
seized later.
Apart from Schilling, three
Malaysians and 13 Filipinos are now being held.
Two French journalists seized
in July escaped this week. Presidential spokesman Ricardo Puno said Thursday that the
government had located the group holding Schilling.
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