Abu Sayyaf watched for P250-M ransom spending

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Police and military intelligence are monitoring members of the Abu Sayyaf group who might go on a spending spree using the ransom money reportedly paid by relatives of the two German hostages recently released by the bandits in Sulu.

Sources said security agencies are anticipating the Abu Sayyaf militants to have “R and R” (rest and recreation) in key cities and areas in the south.

Government officials are still uncertain and could not confirm if ransom was indeed paid.

Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Rami announced after the release last Oct. 17 of German couple Stefan Viktor Okonek and Henrike Dielen that they received the ransom, “no more no less.”

At the height of negotiations, the bandits had demanded P250 million in ransom.

Authorities recalled that during the 2000 Sipadan kidnapping incident, the Abu Sayyaf managed to amass hefty ransom money in dollars in exchange for the release of 21 hostages comprising nine Europeans, 10 Malaysians and two Filipino resort workers held captive in Basilan.

Some suspects tried to exchange dollar bills in Zamboanga City.

“The dynamics going on in Sulu have complicated the security of Zamboanga City and put us on a higher level (of security),” Zamboanga City police chief Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro told media yesterday.

Casimiro refused to confirm if intelligence agents are monitoring the possible spending spree of the Abu Sayyaf, but he said they have been working with the military’s Joint Task Group Zamboanga under Col. Andrelino Colina.

“We were working on it as it complicated a lot of things,” Casimiro said.

Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin said the security threat to Sulu has increased with the bandits expected to acquire more firepower and could launch more atrocities after the payment of huge ransom.

Casimiro said among the countermeasures to the looming threat is strict monitoring of militants that could enter Zamboanga City and other urban centers.

Colina said intelligence units are tracking Abu Sayyaf bandits who could enter Zamboanga after escaping military pursuit operations in Sulu launched after the release of the German hostages.

Colina said so far they have not detected any presence of the group in Zamboanga.

Casimiro also expressed concern that some youths in the hinterlands of Sulu and Basilan might be encouraged to join the Abu Sayyaf to earn more money from kidnap-for-ransom operations.