MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Kidnappers in the southern Philippines say they have killed an American hostage held by them for more than two weeks.

The claim, which has not been confirmed, was made by the leader of the Abu Sayyaf group in a call to a local radio station Tuesday morning local time.

Abu Sabaya told the Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) the kidnappers had killed the American, one of three U.S. nationals from a group of people kidnapped May 27 from a beach resort close to the island of Palawan.

He said the hostage had been executed "as a gift to the country on independence day."

"They better hurry the rescue, otherwise there will be no hostages left."

Sabaya said the beheading happened near the town of Tuburan on the southern island of Basilan.

In comments addressed to the Philippine military he said: "Find his body."

"Remember that we have had told them so many times that we were going to behead an American," he said

He added that the group had also cut off negotiations with the Philippines government for the release of the remaining hostages.

However Philippine military officials say they have not been able to confirm the hostage's death and remained skeptical that the Abu Sayyaf had actually carried out the killing.

"We have to verify this information and confirm because, you know, in the past Sabaya has said things like this and didn't mean it," military spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan said.

His comments were echoed by Chief of Staff Diomedio Villanueva who said the beheading claim could be false and a form of "psychological warfare."

Execution threat
Sabaya had threatened to execute one of the Americans last Thursday and reiterated the threat to do so at noon Monday unless the Philippine government agreed to the group's demands to appoint two Malaysians -- a senator and a merchant -- to negotiate for the hostages' release.

Minutes after that deadline, presidential press secretary Rigoberto Tiglao announced the Philippine government would raise no objection to Malaysian Senator Sairin Karno negotiating for the release, providing the Malaysian government permitted Karno to do so.

He said Karno would work with a designated government intermediary, William Castillo.

In his phone call to RMN Tuesday Sabaya said he felt the government was insincere in agreeing to bring in the negotiators and had to decided to go ahead with the execution.

"We could see that they were fooling us around," he said.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had previously rejected the use of any non-Filipino negotiator in what she said was an internal Philippine problem.

She has ordered thousands of troops to hunt down the 100-member kidnap gang and rescue their hostages.

Following Tiglao's announcement, Sabaya told RMN that he accepted the government's offer, provided it was sincere, and said the threat to behead the hostages had been called off.

More hostages seized
However, as this was going on gunmen belonging to the group seized 15 more people -- including two 12-year-old children.

The hostages were taken in Lantawan, near the capital of Basilan island, the rebel stronghold.

Their capture brought to 28 the number of people believed held by Abu Sayyaf.

The two Malaysians negotiators demanded by the gunmen helped negotiate a drawn out hostage crisis last year when the Abu Sayyaf seized more than 40 people from the Malaysian tourist resort of Sipadan.

The hostages were reportedly freed in return for a large ransom payment.

Government officials have said they will not negotiate for ransom, but only for the unconditional release of the hostages.

The government is offering a $2 million reward for information leading to the kidnappers' capture.

Sabaya also said in an earlier radio broadcast Monday his group has ordered the rebels to sow terror on Basilan.

He said the Abu Sayyaf was demanding the military stop its operation on Basilan where thousands of troops have been searching for the hostages in the jungle-covered mountains.

The Abu Sayyaf is one of two groups fighting for a Muslim homeland in the south of the mainly Catholic country but appears to pursue kidnap as its main business.

The government says its members are mere bandits.

Muslims are a minority in the mostly Roman Catholic Philippines but are a majority in the southern islands that the Abu Sayyaf uses as a base

Maybe we should send in some Marines to cut the kidnappers heads off, that would deter anyone else from trying this shit.

Amen to that

If Uncle Sam would provide the airfare, I'd be teh first to be there.

Semper Fi.

Haven't heard anything about this anywhere else, but if it's true..

Send in the fucking marines god damn it! And let's not be nice about it.

We need to re-establish the fact that you can't fuck with Americans.

I used to think that when we wern't hearing anything it was because the US Gov was mounting some kind of special op.  Now I think that we don't hear anything because no one is doing anything.

Do any of these folks have ransom insurance?

Have rifle, will travel.

Freakin PI should give them their own damn island.

But that's an American, I say we send in Spec-Ops and clean up!

The liberal press will not emphasize this story, because whatever Bush does to the terrorists will only help his popularity, especially when he reminds the terrorists that if they are captured and brought to the USa they will get the McVeigh treatment.

GunLvr

I say send in SEALs or Green Berets to extricate the hostages.  Once that is done turn loose a battalion of Marines or Rangers to hunt down the rest of these goons and wipe them out.  I don't mean capture them, I mean eradicate them!

Why not get a Limited Edition Group Purchase AR15.COM Phillipine Vacation package together? We could drill on the boat over, and settle some of the superfluous debates about which rifle features are better for killing brown people that F**K with Americans. I could use a vacation.

You fellas need a reality check. At any given time there are loads of Americans in trouble (and I mean at no fault of their own, not criminals) in foreign lands, and the State Department usually does little more than twiddle thumbs. Technically even going to Canada could mean you're taking your life into your own hands :)

The only way anything will be done about it is if the press gets a hardon for the story, in which case the gov't. will do something to avoid too much public outcry. In other words, American citizens are as usual sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.

It's to bad we haven't had a president that carries the motto " Walk softly, but carry a big stick."

If we did then instead of those low life consumate coward butt sucking ass holes in the State Department calling the shots, when our people get into a bad situation, then like the Isrealies (sp) at Entebbe, the bad guy would get his ass kicked between his shoulder blades.

to hell with special ops, there too clean, i say send 3000 pissed patriots, theyl do the job like it should be done, and ill be #1...

Kind of justifies the whole "Russian Soldier Video" thing.

You are not hearing the full story. Some of these latest persons kidnapped are American Missionaries. They are a frequent target of the Muslim group.

Below is a website to the Koinona House. Take a look at it. You will see what some intellengent Christians do with their time and efforts.

[url]http://www.khouse.org/index.html[/url]

the following is an excerpt from a newsletter from the Koinona House (KHouse):
---------------------------------------------
ABU SAYYAF CAPTURES AMERICAN MISSIONARIES
(June 5, 2001)

Twenty people, including US missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham, originally from Kansas and now living in the Philippines, and Californian Guillermo Sobrero, were seized from a tourist resort  by the Abu Sayyaf terrorists last Wednesday.  Since that time, nine of the hostages have escaped, including an eight-year-old boy. Two hostages have been killed for trying to escape, and five more hospital workers have been added to the group of hostages.

In addition to the two murdered hostages, one of whom was beheaded, 16 Filipino soldiers and four civilians were killed in the fighting over the weekend.  The number of casualties among the Islamic rebels is unknown.  So far the rebels have managed to escape pursuing troops by using child hostages to shield themselves from government fire, and then disappearing into the dense jungle.  

The Philippine military has estimated the number of Abu Sayyaf members to be approximately 1,500.  Many of these rebels have received intensive training in guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan.  While the group maintains that its goal is to achieve an independent Islamic nation in the Philippines, recent defectors from the group claim that money has become the primary motivation for the kidnappings.
---------------------------------------------------

This is a classic example of a religious war. Most of the Phillipines is Christian and the particular island the Abu Sayyaf are from is Muslim. They apparently are using any means to accomplish their goals of attaining a seperate state.

"Some of these latest persons kidnapped are American Missionaries. They are a frequent target of the Muslim group."

Fine.  If these people want to play with the tiger's tail, it's time for them to learn about the nasty sharp claws.

But, as usual, our milktoast leadership will do nothing.

If we are doing anything about this what makes you think we should broadcast it every where so that they know we are coming? [;D]

Well, aren't you just full of the milk of human kindness!

of course they wont send in the marines it will offend all the soccer moms. F#$K you MMM

i just read a headline that the decapitated person was not an american, but local police said that it was a philippino. does this change anyone's go-gettem attitude???

Torso Found in Philippines; Fears for U.S. Hostage Grow

Reuters

MANILA (June 12) - Philippine Muslim rebels said Tuesday they had beheaded one of three Americans taken hostage in May at a southern island beach resort and there were reports that an unidentified human torso had been found.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said she had no confirmation of the rebel Abu Sayyaf's claim but vowed to crush the group.

In Washington, an official at the State Department said Philippine authorities had found a headless body, apparently on the southern island of Basilan. ''But nobody is identifying the torso,'' he said.

Philippine National Security Adviser Roilo Golez told Reuters he had heard ''a report'' that a body had been found.

''The report that I have heard is that a headless body has been found in Tipo-Tipo (a town in Basilan) but it is a body of a yakan (native Filipino).''

The Abu Sayyaf told RMN radio station they had beheaded tourist Guillermo Sobero, 40, from Corona, California.

''We have executed Guillermo Sobero as a gift to the country on Independence Day,'' rebel spokesman Abu Sabaya said.

He said Sobero's body was left for the troops to find. ''The military better hurry up in the rescue because they may not recover anyone alive,'' he added.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman said he could not confirm Sobero's body had been found.

Sobero was one of three Americans and 17 Filipinos kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf on May 27 from the island of Palawan, 350 miles south of Manila.

Nine of the Filipino hostages have escaped or been rescued while two have been found dead, apparently executed by the rebels.

The Abu Sayyaf have since taken four hostages from a hospital and church complex in Basilan, an island 550 miles south of Manila, and at least 15 hostages from a village in Lantawan on the same island.

Local broadcaster ABS-CBN reported that two hostages of the 15 abducted Monday had also been executed. But military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Danilo Servando said there had been no confirmation.

The station later said the military doubted the two had been killed and said ''it was believed'' the Abu Sayyaf had fabricated the story.

SATELLITE LINK

One source close to the family of one of the hostages, who declined to be identified, told Reuters that the Abu Sayyaf had let some of their captives use the rebels' satellite phones to call home and ask for ransom.

Arroyo denounced the Abu Sayyaf -- who say they are fighting for an independent state in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic Philippines -- as bandits interested only in money.

''We condemn in the strongest possible terms this reported beheading of Mr. Sobero,'' she said in an Independence Day address. ''If the Abu Sayyaf's claim is accurate, it only emphasizes the fact that it is a merciless and a ruthless group that has no qualms at all in murdering an innocent person for the sake of ransom money.

''...The reported beheading...only strengthened our resolve to decimate once and for all this cold-blooded bandit group.''

Military officials said six battalions were combing the jungle of Basilan and an additional one or two battalions were to be deployed.

One battalion is made up of at least 200 soldiers.

Golez told local media that forces would continue operations against the rebels. ''There is also no change in the policy of no ransom,'' he said.
The Abu Sayyaf said Monday they were postponing a threat to execute their American hostages -- Sobero and missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham -- after the government agreed to let a Malaysian negotiate with them.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told reporters the government had not yet received a request for help from Manila.

Asked whether Malaysia would agree to such a request, he said: ''We'll study it.''

Last year, the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped dozens of hostages, both foreigners and Filipinos, some from a Malaysian diving resort.

Some were freed for ransoms reputedly totaling millions of dollars. Others were rescued or escaped. One Filipino is still being held.  

Reut11:01 06-12-01



Mr.Guillermo Sobero, 40 of Corona, California is Filipino- someone apparently forgot to tell the police that not all the American hostages were Anglo...

The U.S. should do nothing militarily unless the Phillipine government asks for assistance.  Don't you gungho types realize that you can't just start sending in troops into a sovereign nation?

There was a time in our history....

It is May, 1904.  A naturalized American citizen, Ion Perdicaris, residing in Tangiers, Morocco, was seized by a bandit named Mulay Hamid El Raisuli [i](Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers).[/i]

Raisuli demanded ransom for his prisoner and President Roosevelt expected the Moroccan government to intervene to secure the release and return of Perdicaris.

When the Moroccan government's response to the kidnapping was weak and ineffective, Roosevelt ordered the U.S. Navy off the coast of Tangiers to make a statement to both the Bandit Raisuli and the Moroccan Sultan.

TR sent an ultimatum to Morocco with the simple message, [b]'We want either Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead.'[/b]

Ion Perdicaris was found within hours stumbling around by himself in the marketplace, freed by the Bandit Raisuli, with no ransom paid by anyone!

So, the message from George W.'s administration now should be [b]'Remaining American citizens alive or Abu Sayyaf dead.'[/b]

Eric The Hun[>]:)]

I just head from a Friend that the Gov't of the Phils. were encouraging civilians to go ahead and carry their long arms to protect themselves from these bandits since there have been a rash of kidnappings.

Actually the government is issuing firearms to Catholics in the southern islands in order to form a home guard.

Here is the news report on the new militia.
Ironic that the Philippines is having to bypass its strict guncontrol laws everytime there is a emergency.  But civilian millitias are vital for putting down insurgencies.  

Thursday June 14, 5:10 PM

Philippine rebels silent on Americans as government arms civilians


 
ISABELA, Philippines, June 14 (AFP) -
The Philippine military began arming civilian militias on southern Basilan island Thursday to back thousands of troops hunting Muslim guerrillas holding three US hostages.

The announcement was made as the Abu Sayyaf rebels broke a 48-hour silence, but their first public statement since claiming to have already beheaded Californian Guillermo Sobero made no mention of the fate of any hostages.

"People have the right and responsibility to defend themselves," Interior Secretary Jose Lina said as he emerged with Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes from a meeting with local government officials in Isabela, the capital of Basilan.

The mayors of Basilan's seven municipalities will also be provided with satellite telephones to report guerrilla movements, they said, as intelligence reports said the kidnappers and their hostages have split into several groups.

The guerrillas' brief statement said they were holding a Muslim cleric Mohaimin Sahi who they allowed to telephone Radio Mindanao Network, but the military said the voice could not identified.

The government has been building up the military strength on Basilan all week, and there are now 5,000 troops hunting an estimated 460 rebels holding more than two dozen hostages in the island's vast jungle terrain.

"We know they separated the hostages into different groups of about four, but the present constitution was not certain," said Brigadier General Romeo Dominguez, head of the military task force on the island.

The Abu Sayyaf, who claim they beheaded Sobero on Tuesday, are also holding Americans Martin and Gracia Burnham who were seized from a Philippine resort last month, and at least 25 Filipino hostages.

Troops pursuing the guerrillas have found no evidence that Sobero is dead, and the government has said the guerrilla claim may be a bluff.

The headless bodies of two Filipinos were found in the area where the guerrillas said they had dumped Sobero.

Sabaya accused the military of killing civilians before passing them off as Abu Sayyaf guerrillas.

The government moved to arm civilians after the mayor of Tipo-Tipo on Basilan, Joel Maturan, said the Abu Sayyaf was offering guns to youths and payments of 30,000 pesos (600 dollars) to their mothers or wives.

In Manila, military spokesman Brigadier General Edilberto Adan said the police and army units will be "screening civilians who will be authorized to bear government issued firearms to defend their villages."

He acknowledged the money offered by the Abu Sayyaf appeared attractive to the unemployed young on Basilan "and they have been made to believe that they are fighting for a cause for their homeland when actually they are being turned into criminals."

Maturan said the hostages were last seen in his municipality on Friday with one male and female Caucasian.

The man was wearing military fatigues and looked dispirited, he said. The woman wore a Muslim veil and appeared in good spirits.

Did anyone see the Soberos on TV yesterday?  I dont watch network tv very much...

I personally don't think the US should intervene by sending in troops. When you leave the US you should know the risks. Imagine if we sent in the military everytime a US citizen got in trouble in a foreign country(I'm not talking about people overtaken by events).

The Phillipines didn't fall apart overnight. There has been problems there for a while now. If those people were too stupid to stay away then its their own fault. Why get some US troops wasted over a dumbass? Let the Phillipino military take care of it. Imagine if some French tourists were taken hostage by some gangbangers that tried to rob Wallyworld? Would you be comfortable with GIGN operating on US soil?

ALL YOUR HEADS ARE BELONG TO US!!!

11BravoE5,

That would work if all Americans were born here in the United States...

However millions of Americans are either foreign born or are the children of naturalized parents and have relatives living overseas.  This is especially true of the Philippines because of our long presence there...

Having to deal with shit like this is one of the drawbacks of being a multi-ethnic country.

I agree about not negotiating with the rebels. These people have a twisted sense of logic and are therefore very hard to negotiate with. Most of the kidnappers are not really Muslims but Moros. These are people who would sell their soul to the devil for guns.

I should know, I used to travel to the southern part of the country because of my job and our farms. I have dealt with them and hope to God that I will never again.

The fact of the matter is, this would never have happened if they did not get paid the first time. In fact, most of their equipments now were bought using the ransom money obtained during the previous kidnappings.

As for the militia, the Philippines is one country where militia groups are encouraged to help out the Army. One group, the CAFGU (acronym of some sort) is instrumental in keeping the peace in places where the military does not have a garrison.

When I read the replies of the previous thread with the same subject, I was so amused with how some of the members here are so quick to "volunteer" to go there and rescue the hostages. Very brave words from someone jacking the keyboards in the comfort and safety of his home.

Yes, you guys may have all the fancy equipment but it takes more than that. Most of you who have the most amusing replies think that your trekked out weapons could somehow make up for lack of actual combat experience, that equipment like a GPS is better than knowledge of the topography.

Remember also, that the people there can understand your language but most of you can't their's.

To all these I can only say, best to find out for yourself.

My .02 worth of opinion.

Friday June 15, 6:12 PM

Philippine military denies hostages released


 
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines, June 15 (AFP) -
The Philippine military dashed hopes Friday that Muslim guerrillas holding American and Filipino hostages had freed any captives.

There was no evidence to support newspaper claims that two Filipinos had been released, nor was there evidence to support the Abu Sayyaf rebels' claim that they beheaded American hostage Guillermo Sobero, the military said.

"The reported release has not happened," said military spokesman Brigadier General Edilberto Adan.

"There is no release as of this morning, so the two hostages have not been released."

Since early Thursday rumours of an impending release had been swirling around southern Basilan island, where the hostages are being held.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer said Friday that hostages Lalaine Chua and Letty Jao had been freed after their families paid 10 million pesosdollars) in ransom.

But a local doctor named in the report as a negotiator denied having taken part in any ransom talks.

An official military list of hostages includes 12-year-old Lalaine Chua and 15-year-old Kimberly Jao, with Kimberly's mother Letty named among nine Filipinos who escaped last week.

The newspaper quoted an unnamed official as saying the negotiations were brokered by Huda Lim, a provincial health officer and Red Cross official in Basilan.

But Lim told radio station DZMM she had never spoken to the families of either victim, and for the past several days had been involved in checking on medical missions in towns attacked by the Abu Sayyaf.

"I have not spoken to any members of their families. I do not know where this report came from and I am surprised that my name is in the papers," she said.

She offered that her name could have been linked to the incident because she helped in medical missions during a similar hostage crisis last year.

While the military ruled out the the hostages had been freed, officials left open the prospect that a release was imminent.

"Rumours have been flying," said presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao.

"If that rumour's true, then we're very happy that their ordeal has ended."

The Malaya newspaper said Chua's father Benito had sold his business to raise ransom money, but could not meet the 10 million-pesos demanded.

The report said the family of 15-year-old Kimberly Jao paid a six million peso ransom, but the Abu Sayyaf used the military operations as a pretext for delaying her release.

President Gloria Arroyo has ruled out ransom negotiations and vowed to annihilate the 1,100-member Islamic guerrilla group.

Chua and Jao were among 17 Filipinos and three Americans snatched by the rebels from a beach resort off western Palawan province last month.

Nine of the Filipinos have been rescued and two executed. The guerrillas are also holding another 19 Filipinos seized in a series of raids.

In addition to saying they have executed Sobero, the Abu Sayyaf have threatened to kill the other American hostages, missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham.

Read the newspaper, WE CAN and WE DO.  Not saying its right, but its the truth.

Hey I got something for the Abu Sayyaf and the scum who are its members. I'll be glad to come over there and blow your asses away!!!
I have the solution for this kind of shit. Lets get one of those bastards and burn his ass alive on T.V. and show his buddies that we are not fooling around. Its time for our lamedicked leaders to unleash all hell on these F@#kers and teach them to go find someone else to terrorize.
As long as we let them pull this shit we will be at their mercy.
Why live in fear If you can destroy your enemies and live in peace?
F@#k the U.N. and anybody else that trys to stop us.