Taiwanese tourist abducted in Malaysia found in Philippines

From GMA News (Dec 21): Taiwanese tourist abducted in Malaysia found in Philippines

A Taiwanese tourist whose husband was reported killed by gunmen in a kidnapping at a Malaysian island resort has been found alive in the southern Philippines, news reports said Friday.

Chang An Wei, 58, also known as Evelyn Chang, was found by Philippine Marines at a village near Talipao town in Jolo where Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants are known to operate, the the Agence France-Presse wire service reporte.

"She is in good condition," local marine brigade commander Colonel Jose Cenabre told AFP by telephone.

The woman was taken to a military hospital for a medical check-up in the town of Jolo, the capital of Jolo island. She may be flown to Zamboanga City on Saturday.

Cenabre said the identities of his kidnappers were unknown, though Abu Sayyaf gunmen who are known carry out kidnappings operate in the area.

Press reports in Malaysia and Taiwan have confirmed the AFP report, with the Malay Mail  Online reporting that Malaysia's Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar had congratulated the Philippine armed forces for rescuing the victim.

Taiwan's Central News Agency also reported the Malaysia police chief's offer of congratulations.

Chang and her husband, Lim Min Hsu, were holidaying on Pom Pom island in Sabah state, which is near the Sulu island group that includes Jolo, when gunmen attacked on November 15.

The reports said the gunmen killed the husband and abducted the wife.

The Abu Sayyaf is a small Islamist movement that has been blamed for a string of terrorist attacks and kidnappings of foreigners in the Philippines.

It was founded with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network to fight for an independent Islamic state, though it later turned into a criminal gang.

Philippine authorities say Abu Sayyaf gunmen are believed still to hold several foreign as well as Filipino hostages on Jolo, including two European birdwatchers and a Japanese treasure hunter.

Dutchman Ewold Horn and Lorenzo Vinciguerra of Switzerland were abducted in the Tawi-Tawi island group near Jolo in February last year, while Amer Mamaito Katayama of Japan was abducted on the island of Pangutaran near Jolo in July 2010.

A Jordanian television reporter, Bakr Atyani, walked free from a Jolo jungle earlier this month, 18 months after he was abducted by the Islamist militants.

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