Kota Kinabalu: The Abu Sayyaf demanded 10 billion rupiah or RM3 million as ransom in connection with the kidnapping of two Indonesian hostages in waters off Kinabatangan in December last year, an Indonesian official said.
Krishna Djaelani, Indonesia’s Consul General in Sabah, said he is not sure whether the amount is for both or just one of the Indonesians.
Krishna Djaelani, Indonesia’s Consul General in Sabah, said he is not sure whether the amount is for both or just one of the Indonesians.
“Maybe it’s a complete package for both. But we’re not sure about any ransom demand for the Malaysian hostage,” he told Daily Express.
Krishna was commenting on a national newspaper report on Wednesday of a video purportedly showing the Abu Sayyaf threatening to behead the hostages if their ransom demand was not met.
The video was said to show one of the Indonesian men with a machete held to his neck appealing to the Indonesian President and negotiator to help secure their release.
The video was reportedly uploaded on Facebook by a user going by the name of Kim Hundin at about 5am on Feb 14 and appeared to have been an edited clip.
The two blindfolded hostages in the video were reported to be Heri Ardiansyah, 19, and Hariadin, 45. They were kidnapped with fellow fisherman, Malaysian Jari Abdulla, 24, from their trawler on Dec 5.
The video emerged a few days after the Abu Sayyaf called Jari’s wife, Nadin Junianti Abdullah, saying that no Malaysian authorities or negotiators had contacted them to secure her husband’s release.
Krishna said the Indonesian government is aware of the latest video and said his government has made it a priority to rescue its citizens but will not negotiate with the kidnappers.
“We don’t know where they are now but we heard they’re constantly being moved by their captors,” said Krishna.
“We’ve been in contact with the families to care for their welfare. We’re not abandoning them.
“The Indonesian government has been in cooperation with its Philippine counterpart to rescue its citizens but we can’t reveal any details.”
Omar Mammah, the Sabah Police Commissioner, said police has not verified the authenticity of the video but if it’s genuine, he said the video aims to psychologically pressure the hostages’ families to pay the demanded ransom.
“However, Malaysia’s stand is never to communicate or deal with the kidnappers,” Omar told Daily Express.
“But we’re working together with the Philippine authorities to rescue the hostages, but we cannot reveal any details,” said Omar, adding Sabah police will investigate the video.
An earlier kidnapping occurred in September last year when the Abu Sayyaf snatched two Indonesian fishermen from their boat in waters off Semporna.
The kidnappers demanded RM4 million ransom for their release, but one of them later escaped his captors in Sulu, southern Philippines while the other was released also in Sulu.
The September abduction broke an almost two-year lull in kidnappings in eastern Sabah waters.
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=131538
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