Msian hostage in Philippines beheaded

[Concorde]

Msian hostage in Philippines beheaded

By NSTOnline - 17 November 2015 @ 10:58 PM

In May, Then was abducted with 50-year old seafood restaurant owner Thien Nyuk Fun. Both of them were taken hostage after Filipino gunmen stormed the floating Seafood King Restaurant in Sandakan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bernard Then, the Malaysian abducted in May this year by militants from the Abu Sayyaf terror group, has been killed.

Federal police sources told the New Straits Times that foreign reports claiming that the 39-year-old engineer from Sarawak had been killed by his captors, "were correct.

"Police however declined to disclose more information at the moment.

A spokesman for the Philippines military's Joint Task Group Sulu had told the NST that they had received a report on Then's death, but could not confirm if his remains have been found.

The Singapore Straits Times in a report tonight said Then was believed to have been beheaded by his captors.

Quoting the Philippines' Brigadier-General Alan Arrojado, commander of the Joint Task Group Sulu, Then was beheaded about 4pm today at a remote Abu Sayyaf stronghold in Jolo island.

According to the report, Arrojado said Then's family had "failed to comply" with the militants' demands during their negotiations, leading them to execute their plan.

Then’s body was allegedly buried near the vicinity of the beheading.

The Straits Times also reported that Then was supposedly suffering from leg injuries sustained while being held captive, and had been slowing down his captors.

It was claimed that the Abu Sayyaf group had earlier threatened to behead him just after releasing Thien.

In May, Then was abducted with 50-year old seafood restaurant owner Thien Nyuk Fun.

Both of them were taken hostage after Filipino gunmen stormed the floating Seafood King Restaurant in Sandakan.

Thien was released earlier this month.

It was reported that a ransom of 30 million pesos (RM 2.7 million) was paid to secure Thien’s release.

 

[Concorde]

Philippines investigating reports Abu Sayyaf militants beheaded Malaysian captive

Jolo island is a stronghold of Abu Sayyaf, a group known for bomb attacks, kidnappings and beheadings – it frequently seeks ransom in return for freeing hostages.

PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 18 November, 2015, 12:00pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 18 November, 2015, 12:02pm

Reuters in Manila

Filipino soldiers conduct patrols in Jolo. Photo: EPA

The Philippine military said it was investigating credible intelligence reports that a small al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militant group had beheaded a Malaysian businessman held captive since May on the southern island of Jolo.

Abu Sayyaf militants were believed to have killed their captive in the town of Indanan on Tuesday, said Brigadier-General Alan Arrojado, army commander on Jolo island.

While the reported beheading is far to the south of the capital Manila, where world leaders including US President Barack Obama are attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, it is a reminder of the security challenges small Islamist groups still pose to the Philippines.

“There were credible reports that Abu Sayyaf has carried out the execution,” Arrojado told reporters in Manila, saying security forces had been sent to locate the body.

The intelligence reports had come from the area, Arrojado said, without giving details.

Jolo island is a stronghold of Abu Sayyaf, a group known for bomb attacks, kidnappings and beheadings. It frequently seeks ransom in return for freeing hostages.

Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said on Twitter he was waiting for confirmation on the beheading from his Philippine counterparts. Malaysian authorities have previously identified the captive as Bernard Then Ted Fen.

He and a Malaysian woman were abducted in May from a Chinese seafood restaurant in a coastal town in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah, on Borneo island, and taken to Jolo.

Last week, Abu Sayyaf freed the woman after reports a ransom was paid for her release.

Arrojado said an earlier intelligence report indicated Abu Sayyaf planned to behead the man if a ransom was not paid.

In September, Abu Sayyaf kidnapped two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipino from an upscale beach resort in the southern Philippines. They have demanded 1 billion pesos for each of the captives.

 

[Isabella]

a stronghold island of terrorist, what is military doing there .. LOL!