Mobs Hack Rebel to Death in Philippines

Reuters

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Nov. 29) - Mobs hacked a Muslim rebel to death Thursday as fresh fighting broke out between Philippine troops and guerrillas on the outskirts of southern Zamboanga city.

No casualties were reported in the clashes, which occurred a day after the military allowed about 250 Muslim guerrillas safe passage out of Zamboanga in exchange for the release of 110 civilians they had taken hostage.

The new fighting involved about 30 rebel stragglers left behind in the retreat of the main body of guerrillas from the mainly Christian city of 750,000 people Wednesday, southern military commander Lieutenant-General Roy Cimatu told reporters.

In a separate clash, soldiers killed a member of another Muslim guerrilla group, the Abu Sayyaf, holding U.S. missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham hostage for over six months on nearby Basilan island, the military said.

''There was no visual sighting of the hostages ... The bandits quickly disengaged and fled deeper into the jungles,'' Cimatu said.

The United States has linked the Abu Sayyaf to Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network, top suspects in the September 11 air attacks on New York and Washington.

Thursday's fighting in Zamboanga involved Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) guerrillas, who fought pitched battles with soldiers Wednesday around a hill overlooking the city.

MOB CAPTURES REBEL

Zamboanga residents angered by the hostage-taking incident captured and killed a guerrilla armed with a machete while he was trying to escape from pursuing troops, a village official said on local radio.

''He was ganged upon and hacked to death,'' the official said.

The killing occurred as radio stations in Zamboanga were bombarded with calls from residents irate at the military's decision to allow the MNLF gunmen to leave the city with their weapons, which included assault rifles, machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

The guerrillas took the hostages while fleeing a military bombardment of their hilltop base.

After a tense 36-hour standoff, the rebels released all their captives, many of them women and children, in a deal that allowed them to leave Zamboanga with their weapons.

Presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao told reporters in Manila the arrangement was necessary to defuse a potentially explosive situation and save the lives of hostages.

At least 25 guerrillas, five soldiers and one civilian were killed in Tuesday's fighting.

The guerrillas are die-hard supporters of MNLF chief and former ARMM governor Nur Misuari, who is now detained in Malaysia and has been charged in the Philippines with rebellion.

Misuari led a 24-year MNLF revolt for an Islamic state in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines until he signed a peace deal with the government in 1996, which led to his installation as governor of ARMM.

Last week, hundreds of Misuari's followers attacked military posts on nearby Jolo island in a failed uprising in which about 160 people were killed. He was later captured by local police in the Malaysian state of Sabah.  

Reut06:22 11-29-01

[url]http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/abs/inews-nov2001.nsf/national/20011130117[/url]

Just moslems acting like what they are; uncivilized barbaic vermin.  Glad the villagers did the right thing!!

We need to send  a few thousand troops to PI to wipe these vermin off the planet - completely.

As mad as the Christian locals in the south are, this could lead to the downfall of the pacifist Arroyo administration.

"Oh, the monkey's have no tails in Zamboanga!......"  Shirley Temple-Black (former Ambassador to Czechoslovakia)

DaMan

US Army is no longer equipped to deal with crazed pacific islanders-- No More .45's

Aren't the Moros why the modern .45 was invented?

And why Marines have leather necks...

[img]http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20011130/capt.1007122449philippines_us_military_xmla101.jpg[/img]
Philippine military march past a U.S. C-130 transport plane at Villamore Air Base in Manila Friday Nov. 30, 2001. The plane arrived Friday as part of a U.S. military aid package for the Philippines with other equipment aboard to help troops battling a Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf on Basilan island. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

[img]http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20011130/capt.1007106674philippines_fighting_zam102.jpg[/img]
Government soldiers display fire arms, ammunitions and homemade bombs that were recovered Friday, Nov. 30, 2001, at the Muslim's regional office in Cabatangan district in Zamboanga. Government soldiers begun occupying the complex after armed followers of the renegade regional Governor Nur Misuari were driven out of the area. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)
Looks like they are into arts & crafts too.

Another good example of how NOT to deal with a hostage situation.

[img]http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20011130/mdf93295.jpg[/img]The family of American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham, held hostage for six months by Philippine guerrillas, called for the U.S. government to do more to help free them, November 30, 2001. After seeing a television video of missionaries who were kidnapped by Muslim Abu Sayyaf guerrillas from a resort in the Philippines in May, Gracia's sister, Mary Jones, said they were clearly suffering. (New Tribes Mission via Reuters)

Link to related story:[url]http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011130/ts/philippines_americans_family_dc_1.html[/url]

Did anyone watch the "Early Show" on CBS?? That is like 3 or so in the AM. Some publicity[rolleyes]
I know its a long shot, but perhaps consider writing your congress critters and the White House about this?  Even if we fight Iraq, surely we could spare a MEU to rescue these people?