Abu Sayyaf renews threat to behead American
hostage
MANILA (AFP) - Muslim extremist
guerrillas on Monday renewed a threat to behead an American captive held in the southern
Philippines, a senior aide to President Joseph Estrada told AFP.
Former chief hostage negotiator
Robert Aventajado said Abu Sayyaf commander Abu Sabaya asked him to re-start negotiations
for American Jeffrey Schilling, a 24-year-old tourist, who they abducted in August on
southern Jolo island.
"He called me at about
10:00 this morning (0200 GMT). He asked for my help to start government negotiations, but
I told him the president has already dismantled the negotiating team," Aventajado
said.
"I told him 'let me se if
I can do anything' and asked him to call me in two days," he said.
He said Sabaya told him he has
also contacted a local television network for help and warned that his group would behead
Schilling if teh government did not negotiate for his release.
Aventajado said Sabaya told him
the guerrillas have now slipped out of Jolo island and are on nearby Basilan island with
Schilling, who was earlier reported to be suffering from various illnesses.
Angered by the Abu Sayyaf's
kidnapping spree that has embarrassed his government, President Estrada in September
ordered a massive military assault to rescue a group of 19 hostages that were still being
held by the rebels at that time.
Two Frenchmen, 12 Filipino
Christian preachers and three Malaysians have either been freed or rescued since then,
leaving just two -- Schilling and Filipino divemaster Roland Ullah.
Ullah is the last of the Abu
Sayyaf's original 21 captives seized from the Malaysian resort of Sipadan in April. The
others were freed following negotiations spearheaded by Aventajado and brokered by the
Libyan government.
Sources, however, have said the
hostages were ransomed off for millions of dollars.
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