Foreign women abducted from Semporna rescued, no ransom paid, says Najib

From MSN News (May 30): Foreign women abducted from Semporna rescued, no ransom paid, says Najib

The Chinese tourist and Filipina resort worker who were abducted at a resort off Semporna, Sabah, have been rescued by Philippine security forces after almost two months of captivity. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted this evening that cooperation between Malaysian and Philippine security forces secured the release of Chinese...



The Chinese tourist and Filipina resort worker who were abducted at a resort off Semporna, Sabah, have been rescued by Philippine security forces after almost two months of captivity.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tweeted this evening that cooperation between Malaysian and Philippine security forces secured the release of Chinese national Gao Hua Yuan and Filipina resort worker Marcy Dayawan @ Mimi.

"I have just been briefed by @PDRMsia that the two women abducted from a resort in Sabah last Apr have been rescued by our authorities.

"We are taking steps to facilitate the return of the Chinese national to her home as soon as possible.

"No ransom paid to secure their release. Success due to cooperation of Malaysia and Philippines security forces. I thank all involved," Najib tweeted.

On April 2, seven gunmen entered the resort at night and abducted 29-year-old Gao from Shanghai and 40-year-old Marcy from the Singamata Reef Resort.

It was reported that Malaysian authorities believed the Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist militant group based in and around the southern Philippines, was behind the abduction and that they had help on the inside.

Following Gao and Marcy's kidnapping in April, a police official in Sabah had revealed that the abduction was also likely to have involved resort staff.

"The Abu Sayyaf has been active in the area over the past 15 years and have been responsible for a string of kidnappings," the official had informed The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity.

"In many cases, the victims were released after a substantial ransom was paid. Last night's case is expected to be no different," he said.

The incident was one of three in the past seven months involving a breach in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone established after the Lahad Datu "invasion" by Sulu forces early last year.

In November last year, Taiwanese tourist Chang An Wei was abducted from the Pom Pom island resort while her partner, Li Min Hsu was shot dead.

Chang was freed a month later after a substantial ransom was paid to the Abu Sayyaf via intermediaries.

Earlier this month, Chinese national Yang Zai Lin, 34, was abducted by Abu Sayyaf gunmen from a fish farm near Pulau Babi, Lahad Datu, and taken away in a speedboat.

Despite Malaysia's security dragnet, the kidnappers managed to escape into international waters and were believed to have headed for southern Philippines.

Yang, a Guangzhou native, had been running the fish farm for three years. The farm is owned by Hong Kong-based Wonderful Terrace Sdn Bhd.

Yang was taken away by five men dressed in army fatigues. At least three of them were said to be armed with M-16 assault rifles.

The Abu Sayyaf is an Islamic militant group which rose to prominence in the 1990s as they fought for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines.

Its members have been known to be involved in bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortion activities.--May 30, 2014.



http://news.malaysia.msn.com/tmi/foreign-women-abducted-from-semporna-rescued-no-ransom-paid-says-najib