Freed Norwegian Hostage Tells of Ordeal at the Hands of Abu Sayyaf

From the Wall Street Journal (Sep 18): Freed Norwegian Hostage Tells of Ordeal at the Hands of Abu Sayyaf

A Norwegian man freed after almost a year held by the Abu Sayyaf terror group said he and his fellow captives, two of whom were beheaded, were treated like slaves and that he was regularly threatened with execution.

Kjartan Sekkingstad was one of four people seized by the extremists at a resort he ran on Samal Island in the southern Philippines. Two of his fellow captives, Canadians John Ridsel and Robert Hall, were decapitated this year. A Philippine woman, Marites Flor, was freed in June.

“I am very happy to be alive and free,” Mr. Sekkingstad told reporters following a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte and Norwegian Embassy officials in Davao City, the president’s hometown. “It’s a wonderful feeling.”

When he arrived in Davao City, the Norwegian was bearded, wearing a camouflage jacket and carrying a backpack he said had stopped a bullet and saved his life during a clash between troops and militants. He was clean-shaven and wearing fresh clothes when he met the president.

Mr. Sekkingstad told reporters upon arriving in Davao City that the Abu Sayyaf militants had forced him and the other captives to act as porters, the Associated Press reported. He said that after the beheadings began, he was told constantly that he would be executed, AP reported, and that he survived several clashes between the militants and Philippine troops.”

The two Canadians were killed after Ottawa refused to pay millions of dollars in ransom to the militants, who have sworn allegiance to Islamic State, have earlier links to al Qaeda and have carried out bombings, assassinations and kidnappings for ransom that have often ended in murder.

Mr. Duterte said recently that 50 million pesos ($1.1 million) had been paid to Abu Sayyaf as ransom for Mr. Sekkingstad. Subsequently, the president said the group wanted even more money. He didn’t elaborate on the source of the payments or how they were made.

Mr. Sekkingstad was released Saturday in Jolo, the capital of Sulu, a predominantly Muslim and impoverished island, but had to stay there overnight because of bad weather. It was unclear if he would return to Norway.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said that three Indonesian fishermen kidnapped recently by Abu Sayyaf were released Sunday. He said he was “unaware if any ransom has been paid.” The Indonesians were flown to the military’s regional command center in western Mindanao island and handed over to Indonesian authorities.

Abu Sayyaf is believed to still hold 11 foreigners and six Filipinos captive, the military said.The group is believed to have about 400 members.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg welcomed the release of Mr. Sekkingstad and thanked Mr. Duterte and presidential peace adviser Jose Dureza, who negotiated the release, for working to free him.

“This has been a challenging case, and has put an indescribable strain on Mr. Sekkingstad himself and his family and friends,” Ms. Solberg said Sunday. “The violence committed against innocent people by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist organization can only be met by our condemnation and disgust.”

Abu Sayyaf has come under recent pressure from the Philippine armed forces as Mr. Duterte ordered a new offensive against them. The group responded with a deadly bomb attack Sept. 2 in Davao City that killed 15 people and injured dozens more.

Mr. Duterte, who came to power June 30 on a pledge to restore law and order in the Philippines, has waged a violent antidrug campaign that has left thousands dead.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/freed-norwegian-hostage-in-philippine-government-hands-1474197099