2000 Sipadan kidnappings
Sipadan kidnappings of 2000 | |
---|---|
Part of grenades and rocket-propelled grenades | |
Deaths | None |
Injured | Several |
Perpetrators | Abu Sayyaf |
The 2000 Sipadan kidnappings was a hostage crisis in
During the hostage taking, Abu Sayyaf issued various demands for the release of several prisoners, including 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef, $2.4 million and a complete withdrawal of government troops from the area around Jolo where the hostages were being held.[3]
The Philippine Army launched a major offensive on 16 September 2000, rescuing all remaining hostages, except Filipino dive instructor Roland Ullah. Ullah was eventually freed in 2003.[2]
The crisis
On 23 April 2000, six men armed with assault rifles and several rocket-propelled grenades arrived by a speedboat on the Sipadan resort island off the eastern coast of Borneo. They proceeded to abduct 21 individuals from the dining hall where dinner was being served.[1] The hostages, including a Malaysian police officer, three Germans, two French, two South Africans, two Finns and a Lebanese citizen, were herded onto the boats with nine Malaysian and two Filipino resort workers.[4] An American couple and a local marine photographer managed to evade capture unharmed.[5]
During the abduction the hostages were allegedly robbed of their money and
Captivity in Jolo
On 6 May 2000, a video was released by the captors depicting the hostages held in a jungle area with gunfire and mortar rounds audible in the background. The video footage also showed a female German captive lying on a makeshift stretcher, apparently overcome by illness. A
Around 8 May 2000, the bandits holding the foreign hostages fired at government troops who the bandits claimed were approaching too close to their position. One Philippines soldier was killed, and the bandits claimed two of the hostages also died during the fighting, although the government denied any foreigners had been killed. The government's denial of any casualties among the foreign hostages would later be proven true; however, all efforts to open negotiations with the hostage takers were then suspended.[6]
Further captives taken
In June, Bel. Hon. Evangelist Pastor Wilde Estrada Almeda and 12 of his prayer warriors from the Jesus Miracle Crusade Church offered their help and went as mediators for the release of other hostages.
On 2 July 2000, a German journalist Andreas Lorenz, who was visiting Jolo to cover the hostage story, was also seized.[9] The correspondent for the weekly magazine Der Spiegel was abducted from a jeep during an ambush by a group of armed bandits who dragged Mr Lorenz to their vehicle. The driver of the jeep was able to escape.[10][11]
Three French television crew members were also captured by bandits on 9 July 2000.[11]
Aftermath
Captives released
On 20 August 2000, the final three of nine Malaysians taken from
As of the release of the Malaysians it was believed two Germans, two Finns, two South Africans and seven French nationals, including the three journalists, were being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf bandits.[12]
On 28 August 2000,
Of the original hostages taken, German Marc Wallert, Frenchman Stephane Loisy and Finns Seppo Fränti and Risto Vahanen and a Filipino resort worker were still being held by the Abu Sayyaf bandits as of 7 September 2000.[16][17] The final four European captives taken from Sipadan were released on 10 September 2000, and transported to Tripoli, Libya, by private jet. Following his release, Vahanen confirmed that a number of female captives had been sexually assaulted by bandit Commander 'Robot', also known as Galib Andang.[16]
On 16 September 2000, following an offensive by the
Arrest and the death of perpetrators
On 14 January 2016, Philippine authorities arrested a member of Abu Sayyaf who was believed to have been involved in the kidnapping. According to Philippine media reports, the suspect had standing arrest warrants on 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom issued by a court in
See also
References
- ^ a b c Fuller, Thomas (25 April 2000). "20 Kidnapped From Malaysian Resort Island". New York Times. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ a b "Abu Sayyaf kidnappings, bombings and other attacks". GMA News. 23 August 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
- ^ P. S. Suryanarayana (4 May 2000). "Malaysia seeks direct role in hostage crisis". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ a b "An Invasion of Paradise". Time. 8 May 2000. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Philippines separatists' kidnap claim". BBC. 25 April 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ a b McCarthy, Terry (15 May 2000). "Crisis Situation". Time. Archived from the original on December 15, 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Jungle nightmare for Philippines hostages". BBC. 7 May 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Bomb blasts rock Jolo". BBC News. 18 May 2000. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
- ^ "Timeline: Hostage crisis in the Philippines". CNN. 25 August 2002. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ Paterson, Tony (3 July 2000). "Rebels kidnap German journalist in Philippines". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ a b c "Philippine hostages head for Libya". BBC News. 28 August 2000. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^ a b Baruah, Amit (19 August 2000). "Rebels decline to free hostages". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ a b Hajari, Nisid (11 September 2000). "Bungles in the Jungle". Time. Archived from the original on January 23, 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Malaysian hostages return home after 4 months". Independent Online. Reuters. 20 August 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Jolo hostage release delayed". BBC. 15 August 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ a b "Philippines hostages 'raped'". BBC News. 11 September 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Hostages will be free within 24 hours". Independent Online. Reuters. 7 September 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ "Search for hostages widens". New Straits Times. 6 October 2000. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- Sun.Star. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ Jaime Sinapit (7 February 2016). "Suspect in Sipadan, Davao Pearl Farm incidents killed in Sulu clash". Interaksyon. Archived from the original on 2016-02-08. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ "Abu Sayyaf man behind Sipadan kidnapping arrested". Daily Express. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
- ^ Al Jacinto (18 October 2016). "Sayyaf militant in Sabah kidnappings killed". The Manila Times. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
- ^ Bong Garcia (29 January 2017). "Another Abu Sayyaf bandit falls in Zamboanga". Sun.Star. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ Julie Alipala (9 March 2017). "Abu Sayyaf man in Sipadan hostage crisis killed in Basilan". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ Roel Pareño (14 July 2017). "Suspected Abu Sayyaf member involved in mass abduction of foreigners captured". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 18 July 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Bong Garcia (21 March 2018). "Abu Sayyaf bandit in Malaysian resort kidnapping falls". Sun.Star. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ^ Joel R. San Juan (12 March 2019). "Abu Sayyaf man tied to Dos Palmas, Sipadan abductions arrested". BusinessMirror. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
- ^ Nikko Fabian (21 August 2019). "Sipadan kidnapping suspect held in Zamboanga". Daily Express. Retrieved 22 August 2019.