‘Sayyaf planning another kidnap’
Published on: Wednesday, May 27, 2020
By: Nikko Fabian
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Kota Kinabalu: Vessels plying the Sulu-Celebes sea risk becoming victims of kidnapping by the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).The warning was issued Monday by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).ADVERTISEMENT
According to ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, there is a real threat of a kidnapping planned by ASG militants in the waters off Sabah.
The centre pressed the alert button after receiving official information from the Philippine Coast Guard on the sighting of the arrival of five ASG militants in Tawi-Tawi recently.
“We received a report that five militants armed with assorted firearms landed at Omapoy Island located near Sitangkai Municipality,” the ReCAAP centre said.
ReCAAP said the Sulu-based terrorist group is planning to conduct kidnapping activities in undisclosed areas around Sabah.ADVERTISEMENT
It added that Abu Sayyaf is targeting wealthy businessmen or fishing boats and other slow-moving ships in the area.
Hence, ReCAAP Sharing Centre strongly advised shipmasters and crew to exercise extra vigilance when transiting in the waters off eastern Sabah and in the Sulu-Celebes sea areas.
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ASG has periodically targeted seafarers for kidnap in Sulu and Celebes sea areas.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Generally the group targeted smaller vessels although it had attacked larger merchant vessels sailing between Australia and China as well.