Ransom seized from kidnappers came from
Germany: Philippine official
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines, Oct 29
(AFP) - The 240,000 dollars in ransom money seized from two suspected Muslim extremist
kidnappers in the southern city of Zamboanga originated from Germany, a government
prosecutor said here Saturday.
Assistant prosecutor Ricardo
Cabaron said this was disclosed by intelligence sources who examined the money recovered
from suspected Abu Sayyaf members.
Cabaron also said two US Secret
Service agents and a representative of the Central Bank of the Philippines checked the
money and found that two of the 2,400 hundred-dollar bills were counterfeit.
This came as the military
pressed on with their assault on the remaining Abu Sayyaf forces in the southern island of
Jolo to free the two remaining hostages in their custody.
The dollars were seized from
two suspected Abu Sayyaf members when they travelled from Jolo island to Zamboanga City to
try to convert the currency into Philippine pesos on August 24.
The Abu Sayyaf in Jolo
kidnapped dozens of foreign and local hostages including four Germans in a series of
abduction sprees starting in April. Most of the foreign hostages were later freed
reportedly after ransom was paid.
A Libyan foundation, headed by
the son of Libyan leader Colonel Moamer Kadhafi, reportedly paid the ransom for about 10
of the Western hostages but it is believed other parties may have paid some of the ransom
for the four Germans who were held by the Abu Sayyaf.
German journalists who went to
Jolo to cover the hostage crisis were also robbed by the extremists.
Cabaron said the confiscated
money did not come from the Libyan foundation but from German sources and was possibly
used in the ransom for German hostage Renate Wallert who was released by the kidnappers on
July 17.
The German government has
denied paying any ransom.
In late-September, exasperated
by the Abu Sayyaf's continuing abductions, President Joseph Estrada ordered a massive
assault on the extremists.
Two Frenchmen, three Malaysians
and 12 Filipino evangelists who were being held by the Abu Sayyaf at the time, have since
been recovered.
However a Filipino and an
American still remain in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf.
Provincial governor Abdusakur
Tan, whose area covers Jolo, said he did not think the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf could
last much longer as they were running out of food while being pursued by the military.
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