AFP confirms Abu Sayyaf’s kidnapping of 7 Indonesian sailors

From GMA News (Jun 26): AFP confirms Abu Sayyaf’s kidnapping of 7 Indonesian sailors

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday finally confirmed the Abu Sayyaf Group's (ASG) kidnapping of seven Indonesian sailors in the Sulu Sea, two days after Indonesian authorities announced the incident.

The AFP's Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) said that armed men on board two motorized boats intercepted the Indonesian's tugboat while en route to Indonesia in the Sulu Sea around 11 a.m. last June 22.

The WesMinCom's report said that only seven of the 13 crewmen on board the Indonesia tugboat were taken by the bandits.

It said that the seven Indonesians have been turned over by the armed men, later identified as the Muktadil brothers -- Nickson, Brown, Badung and Dadis -- to Abu Sayyaf Group sub-leader Majal Adja alias Apo Mike based in Sulu.

The WesMinCom said among those kidnapped was the boat's captain, who had called his wife in Indonesia to relay that their kidnappers were asking 20 million Malaysian ringgit.

Indonesian authorities announced the kidnapping incident two days ago. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had said that based on the information they received, the kidnapping was carried out by two different armed groups.

"We absolutely do not tolerate this. The government will try all options to free the hostages," Marsudi said.

At least 17 other Indonesian sailors had been kidnapped in separate incidents in March and April of this year. All victims had been released by the bandits.

On Friday, the bandits also released Filipina hostage Marites Flor. Flor was kidnapped on Samal Island in September 2015 with three foreigners, Canadians Robert Hall and John Ridsdel and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad.

The bandits had beheaded the two Canadians while Sekkingstad remains a captive. 

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/571351/news/nation/afp-confirms-abu-sayyaf-s-kidnapping-of-7-indonesian-sailors