Foreign journalists pay ransom to escape rebels

MANILA, JUNE 3: Ten foreign journalists covering the Philippine hostage crisis were themselves seized by the Abu Sayyaf rebels and forced ...

MANILA, JUNE 3: Ten foreign journalists covering the Philippine hostage crisis were themselves seized by the Abu Sayyaf rebels and forced to pay a 25,000 dollar ransom to be freed, police and those involved said on Saturday.

The journalists, all of whom work for German news organisations, were detained on Friday while trailing a government medical convoy to the hilltop jungle hideout where 21 hostages, mostly foreign tourists, are being held by Muslim militants on the southern island of Jolo. Armed men took the journalists, all men 8212; seven Germans, one French, one Australian and one Danish 8212; to an Abu Sayyaf cottage where the rebels demanded one million pesos about 25,000 for their release, the newsmen said.

A police report earlier said the gunmen made an initial demand of one million dollars and this was lowered to 25,000 dollars. Four of the journalists were told to return to Jolo town to fetch the money, and were told that one of the remaining newsmen would be killed every hour if they did not come up with the correct amount by Friday night. The four did as instructed, although only one of them brought the cash back to the cottage.

On paying the ransom, the Abu Sayyaf told them: 8220;Now you can come everyday,8221; said Volker Albers of German TV group RTL. 8220;We were stupid enough to move to see the hostages. I hope no foreign journalist goes up,8221; said Jorg Rositzke of German TV outfit Satellite 1. 8220;You can get a short feeling of how it is to be in the jungle with the Abu Sayyaf.8221;

Rositzke said when they told the rebels they did not have one million pesos as demanded 8220;they told us one of you will die8221;. The journalists decided against proceeding to see the 21 hostages even after being given the go-ahead by Abu Sayyaf on paying the ransom because it was against ethics to pay for an interview, he added.

The group was also robbed of other cash, satellite phone, watches, shoes and other valuables while being held. The 21 hostages 8212; a German family of three, a French couple, a Finnish couple, two South Africans, two Filipinos, nine Malaysians and a Lebanese 8212; have been held by the gunmen for six weeks after their adbuction from a Malaysian resort off Borneo on April 23.

Albers said the journalists had initially met one of the Abu Sayyaf leaders, known as Commander Robot, who asked them for rice rations which the newsmen refused to give. He then 8220;gave us a lesson8221;, Albers said.

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Commander Robot sent 15 of his guards with the journalists, supposedly to see the hostages, but the escorts then turned on them with the demand for money. The Abu Sayyaf leader must have thought 8220;these foreigners tell me how to do my business, I will show them who is boss8221;, Albers said. During the crisis, a number of journalists have been allowed to visit the camp and interview the Abu Sayyaf leaders and even spend a night or two at the hideout.