Westerners abducted in southern Philippines
Mindanao Island is known as a base of operation for Islamic fundamentalists who, in the last few years, have carried out numerous terrorist attacks, abductions and assassinations.
The largest group is the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The Abu Sayyaf group, a movement made up of Muslim guerrillas seeking an independent Islamic state in southern Philippines, is also very active.
Since 1970, at least 150,000 people have died in the violence.
Along side these fundamentalist groups there are other smaller ones who are also involved in armed struggle for the independence of Mindanao Island. They are involved in abductions for ransom to finance arms purchases and guerrilla training. But it is with the main groups that the central government in Manila has been engaged in peace negotiations.
Here is an overview of the main abduction cases involving foreigners:
September 8, 1998
Fr Luciano Benedetti, a missioner with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) is kidnapped near Sibuco (Zamboanga del Norte province, Mindanao Island). He is released on November 16 after 68 days of captivity.
March 20, 2000
Muslim extremists from the Abu Sayyaf group abduct 29 Catholics, including many children, from a school on the Island of Basilan (southern Philippines). They demand the release of three Muslim activists imprisoned in the US. One of the hostages, the school's director Claretian Father Rohel Gallardo is killed in April.
April 23, 2001
Abu Sayyaf terrorists capture 21 hostages in Sipadan (Malaysia), including seven Europeans. The group is made up of a German family of three, French and a Finnish couple, nine Malaysians, two Filipinos and two South Africans. They are moved to the Island of Jolo (about a 1,000 km from Manila). The kidnappers demand a huge ransom and the creation of an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines.
August 28, 2001
Fr Rufus Halley, an Irish priest from the Society of St Columban for Foreign Missions, is killed during a kidnapping attempt by the MILF in Malabang, in the Apostolic Prefecture of Marawi (Lanao del Sur province, Mindanao Island).. He was involved in inter-faith dialogue.
October 17, 2001
Italian missioner Giuseppe Pierantoni is kidnapped by alleged Muslim guerrillas belonging to the Pentagono group whilst celebrating mass in a church in Dimataling, in southern Zamboanga peninsula. He is released on April 14, 2002.
June 7, 2002
Abducted on May 27, US evangelical missioner Martin Burnham dies near Siraway, a town also on Zamboanga peninsula, during the army's rescue operation. Mr Burnham's wife is wounded but free.
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09/11/2004
