Sunday, May 22, 2016

Canadian held by Filipino militants: 'My government has abandoned me'

From Al-Bawaba (May 22): Canadian held by Filipino militants: 'My government has abandoned me'

Robert Hall, a Canadian yachtsman, seen pictured in a video uploaded to the YouTube account

Robert Hall, a Canadian yachtsman, seen pictured in a video uploaded to the YouTube account "Aboo Rami" on Sunday. (YouTube/Aboo Rami)

A Filipino militant group released a disturbing video today threatening to murder three hostages on June 13 if its demands are not met.  
 
Abu Sayyaf said that if a ransom of over $6 million is paid before 3 p.m. on June 13, the hostages will be freed. 
 
Abu Sayyaf is a criminal group purporting to be Islamic. They specialize in kidnappings for ransom. In March, Abu Sayyaf pledged allegiance to Daesh, according to Annie Ahronheim, a defense correspondent for i24 News, an Israeli news site. 
 
Abu Sayyaf released a video today showing three hostagesNorwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, Filipino Marites Flor, and Canadian Robert Hall—pleading for their lives. The three were reportedly captured in September 2015. 
 
In the video, titled “Ultimatum,” Canadian yachtsman Robert Hall says that he believes his government has “abandoned” him and his family.
 
“We live like this every day, go to bed like this,” he says, raising handcuffed wrists for the camera to see.   
 
“We have a hundred people around us all the time, that dictate to us and talk to us like children,” he says. “We’ve been humiliated in every way possible…we’re three quarters dead right now.” 
 
View image on Twitter View image on Twitter View image on Twitter View image on Twitter        
Abu Sayyaf hostages pleading for help or else executed on 13 Junehttps://www.youtube.com/embed/ZT2qRYOETMI 
British Canadian consultant John Ridsdel was murdered by Abu Sayyaf on April 25
The video, which had been uploaded by an account named "Aboo Rami," but which had no previous uploads, was quickly taken down by YouTube.
 
A message on the site now says the video was removed “for violating the company’s Terms Of Service.”
 
The Philippines and Canadian government have said they will not give in to ransom demands, according to BBC. 
 

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