CDNN SPECIAL REPORT :: SIPADAN HOSTAGE CRISISOn Sunday, April 23, 2000, Abu Sayyaf Muslim guerillas armed with M-16s and rocket launchers beached their high-speed boats on Sipadan, Malaysia's renowned dive resort island, and abducted 21 hostages including dive tourists and resort staff. | Click on graphic, go to timeline |
As CDNN issued daily reports linking the Abu Sayyaf rebels to Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda terrorists and warning dive travelers to avoid the area, Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism, the dive industry and local Sipadan dive operators colluded to downplay the threat to tourists. "It will never happen again," promised Clement Lee of Borneo Divers. "There will be no more attacks on dive resorts in this area."Less than five months later, armed rebels struck again taking hostages from the Pandanan Island scuba diving resort near Sipadan. The following year in yet another attack inspired by the huge ransom payments the Abu Sayyaf demanded and received for the release of the Sipadan hostages, 15 more hostages were abducted near Sipadan. CDNN FEATURE REPORTS CDNN NEWS REPORTS200520042003200220012000 | | |
