SABAH, Malaysia (15 June 2001) -- Hoping to rake in huge ransoms like those reportedly paid to Muslim guerrillas in the Philippines, pirates have attacked several vessels and taken 15 Malaysians captives in recent days, police said Friday. Piracy is common in the region, but Malaysian officials said the latest abductions appeared to be inspired by the millions the Abu Sayyaf rebels reportedly received for the release of foreign tourists abducted from a Malaysian diving resort last year. ''The pirates think they can also make big money by holding people for ransom,'' Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman, deputy commander of Malaysia's marine police, said Friday. He urged Malaysian vessels to take precautions against piracy. The warning came a day after 15 Malaysians aboard six fishing boats were abducted in two separate incidents between the Philippines and the Malaysian-ruled part of Borneo island. Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said naval surveillance has been increased and more aircraft might be brought in to monitor the dangerous stretch of water between the two Southeast Asian countries. The U.S. State Department renewed a warning to American citizens Wednesday to ''exercise extreme caution'' if traveling to Sabah, the Malaysian state on northern Borneo, citing persistent threats by Abu Sayyaf. On Thursday, raiders in military fatigues seized nine men near Lihiman island and took them to nearby Takanak, both in the Philippines. Six were freed after paying about $4,000; the others were released Friday without ransom after police negotiated through villagers, Jalaluddin said. Six other Malaysians were being held Friday by pirates on the Philippine island of Tawi-Tawi. | | Jalaluddin said the kidnappers weren't linked to Abu Sayyaf, but that ''they are obviously influenced'' by the riches the group reaped after last year's hostage-taking. ''Those involved in this kind of piracy are also hard-pressed people looking for easy money,'' Jalaluddin said. ''They are desperate enough to do anything.'' Abu Sayyaf rebels abducted 21 tourists and workers from a Malaysian diving resort in April 2000 and seized dozens of other hostages in subsequent raids. Many were released for ransoms that totaled in the millions of dollars, though the specific amounts have not been revealed. Pirate attacks often go unreported since the owners of vessels ''prefer to pay ransom if they can'' to avoid a prolonged standoff with the abductors, Jalaluddin said. Abu Sayyaf guerrillas now hold more than two dozen captives they seized this month, and claim to have killed one of three Americans among them. Several Filipino captives have been freed, some reportedly for ransoms paid by relatives. Philippine authorities say they won't pay ransom. The rebels, who claim to be fighting for an independent Muslim state in the southern Philippines, have eluded capture since seizing hostages, including the three Americans, at an island resort on June 1. The campiagn to subdue them has left 16 soldiers dead and more than 50 wounded. |
