Philippines: Possible Kidnapping Threat in Zamboanga City

By Larry Habegger | Permalink | 1 comment | April 2nd, 2008 | Trackback

The U.S. Embassy in Manila reported that it had received information that extremists may be planning to kidnap Americans or other foreigners at hotels or other public places in Zamboanga City in the far south of the islands. In response, the Zamboanga City mayor called the warning “disappointing” because police told him there was no kidnapping plot specifically directed at Americans in Zamboanga. A Philippine security official speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press that authorities had received reports that the al-Qaeda-linked group Abu Sayyaf planned to kidnap wealthy Filipino Chinese traders for ransom but not Americans. Abu Sayyaf guerrillas have conducted numerous deadly attacks in the southern Philippines since the mid 1990s but U.S.-backed offensives against the group have reduced their attacks significantly in recent years, and their numbers are reportedly down to about 300 armed fighters.

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