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S. Korean seized by extremists found dead in Philippines
Under investigation: In this Oct
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Under investigation: In this Oct. 14, 2015 file photo, Col. Restituto Padilla, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, watches a video purportedly showing for the first time two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman who were abducted last month from a southern Philippines resort, following a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. Militants from at least four small but violent Muslim insurgent groups in the Philippines pledged support last year to the Islamic State group and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, mostly in videotaped messages posted on the Internet. Philippine security officials say they have found no clear evidence so far of a direct link and active collaboration between Islamic State extremists and any of the groups: Abu Sayyaf, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, Rajah Solaiman Movement and the Ansar Khalifa. Islamic State-inspired black flags, however, are visible in a video released this week, purportedly by Abu Sayyaf, of four Western and Filipino hostages kidnapped last month in the southern Philippines. (AP/Bullit Marquez, File) (AP/Bullit Marquez, File)
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span class="inline inline-center">Under investigation: In this Oct. 14, 2015 file photo, Col. Restituto Padilla, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, watches a video purportedly showing for the first time two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipino woman who were abducted last month from a southern Philippines resort, following a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. Militants from at least four small but violent Muslim insurgent groups in the Philippines pledged support last year to the Islamic State group and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, mostly in videotaped messages posted on the Internet. Philippine security officials say they have found no clear evidence so far of a direct link and active collaboration between Islamic State extremists and any of the groups: Abu Sayyaf, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, Rajah Solaiman Movement and the Ansar Khalifa. Islamic State-inspired black flags, however, are visible in a video released this week, purportedly by Abu Sayyaf, of four Western and Filipino hostages kidnapped last month in the southern Philippines. (AP/Bullit Marquez, File)
An elderly South Korean man who was kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Philippines 10 months ago has been found dead apparently due to an illness, police and military officials said Sunday.
The body of Noi-seong Hong was found in a sack late Saturday on a roadside in Indanan town in Sulu province, where the militants have been holding several foreign and Filipino kidnapping victims in their jungle bases in the mountains, according to army Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado and the police.
An initial investigation showed the militants brought down the remains of the 74-year-old from their jungle encampment after he died from an unspecified illness, Arrojado said.
The Korean was abducted by about five gunmen from his house in Roseller Lim town in southern Zamboanga Sibugay province in January. The kidnappers also tried to kidnap his son, who fought back and managed to escape, police said.
A government anti-terrorism official told The Associated Press by telephone that the militants initially demanded a ransom of 500 million pesos ($10.6 million), but later agreed to drastically reduce the amount as Hong fell ill and was often transported on a horse because he was too weak to walk.
It was not immediately clear if any amount was handed to the militants, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
The al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf, which is blacklisted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist organization for deadly bombings, kidnappings for ransom, beheadings and extortion, has been weakened by years of U.S.-backed military offensives.
Without any known major sources of foreign funding, the militants have turned to kidnappings and extortion to survive.
They are still holding several hostages, including a Dutch bird watcher who was kidnapped more than three years ago in nearby Tawi Tawi province, two Malaysians and a Japanese. They have also been suspected of kidnapping two Canadians, a Norwegian man and a Filipino woman from a marina on southern Samal Island in September. (**)
