A video of two Canadians, one Norwegian and one Filipino hostages taken by Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines was released on Tuesday. I know that there’s people that can find a way to do this.
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All four are surrounded by masked men armed with guns and machetes.
One of the masked gunmen read a statement saying they would negotiate with the Canadian and Philippine governments and would issue their demands once the military assaults stopped. The group of militants surrounding him respond with a chorus of “Allahu Akbar” (God is great).Abu Sayyaf has been known to attempt mass kidnappings in Mindanao – the second-largest and most southern major island in the Philippines, where the government fought for decades against an Islamist and separatist insurgency.
The captive, who says his name is John Ridsdel, confirms that they were taken captive from the Oceanview Marina in Samal island in Davao, and again reiterates his fellow hostages’ pleas that the Canadian and Philippines governments help them by ceasing bombing, artillery fire and other military operations so that negotiations can commence.
In the video, Ridsdel referred specifically to nearby artillery fire and to overhead flights. Once your cooperation with us and to meet all the requirements.
“Number one is that there must be no military operations and there must be no artillery attack, and all that is harmful against us”, he said in fluent English.
Arrojado, who has been leading months of offensives against Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu, a predominantly Muslim province about 950 kilometers (590 miles) south of Manila, said the assaults would not stop.
The Norwegian government said it is aware of the existence of the video but would not comment other than to say that they are working with authorities and the government of the Philippines on the situation, Rune Bjastad, Communications Adviser and press contact for the Minister of Foreign affairs, told CNN. But Abu Sayyaf, an al Qaeda-linked group that reportedly pledged allegiance to ISIS, has been one of the prime suspects all along.
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Asked about the video, a Canadian Foreign Ministry spokesman said the government was “pursuing all appropriate channels” to seek further information. Sekkingstad is Holiday Ocean View Samal Resort’s manager, the place where the Abu Sayyaf members abducted the hostages on September 21.
