Saturday, December 19, 2015

DNA test shows severed head belongs to Bernard Then, says IGP

From the Malaysian Insider (Dec 19): DNA test shows severed head belongs to Bernard Then, says IGP

Malaysian police have received confirmation that the DNA sample taken from a severed head found in Jolo matches Malaysian hostage Bernard Then Ted Fen.

Bernard Then Ted Fen was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf after being kidnapped by the militant group in Sandakan, Sabah. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 19, 2015.




















Bernard Then Ted Fen was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf after being kidnapped by the militant group in Sandakan, Sabah. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 19, 2015

The Star Online quoted Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar as saying that authorities received verification from their Philippine counterparts. "Our counterparts communicated the information to us verbally, and not in writing, that the head found in Jolo matches Bernard's DNA.

"I want to take this opportunity to extend my condolences to Bernard's family. We will take all necessary measures for the culprits to face the laws of our country," he told reporters today at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.

Then was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf, a militant Islamist group based in southern Philippines, at about 4pm last Friday.

Khalid also said today that police were collaborating with the Attorney-General's Chambers to extradite the culprits behind Then's murder and bring them to justice.

On Monday, the Philippine army found a headless body in Parang, Sulu. An infantry scouring the Sitio Lungon-lungon in Barangay Lanao Dakula found the body at around 11pm.

The body was found buried in a shallow grave in a hilly jungle and was in an advanced state of decomposition, said Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command spokesman Major Filemon Tan Jr.

The body was sent to Zamboanga City for identification.

Then, 39, was kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants at a seafood restaurant in Sandakan, Sabah, on May 15, together with the restaurant manager, Thein Nyuk Fun, 50.

Thien was released on November 8, but Then was beheaded on November 17 after his family reportedly "failed to comply" with demands by the militants during the ransom negotiations.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dna-test-shows-severed-head-belongs-to-bernard-then-says-igp

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