Libyan envoy meets Philippines kidnappers over
French media hostages
JOLO, Philippines, Aug 14 (AFP)
- A Libyan mediator held talks Monday with Muslim extremist kidnappers on the status of
three French journalists among more than a dozen mostly foreign hostages held in the
southern Philippines jungle.
Rajab Azzarouq, Libya's retired
ambassador to Manila, told reporters he spoke with an Abu Sayyaf leader he identified as
Abu Sabri.
He said this faction held at
gunpoint three France-2 television journalists, who were abducted on July 9 while they
covered a hostage crisis involving a group of tourists and resort workers kidnapped from
the Malaysian resort of Sipadan on April 23.
"I met with Abu Sabri
about the status of the journalists," he said.
Asked if any of the other
hostages would be freed soon, Azzarouq said: "We are working on that as usual."
He added that "we've
talked to them. there is progress. We're optimistic," but he would not elaborate.
Gunmen from at least three Abu
Sayyaf factions are holding 15 French, Malaysian, Finnish, German, South African and
Franco-Lebanese hostages as well as a number of Filipinos.
Fourteen of the captives were
abducted from Sipadan, along with six other Malaysians and a German who have since been
freed.
Subsequently, the guerillas
captured several journalists who covered the hostage drama. Among the media captives
released were a German journalist and two Filipino television broadcasters.
The Abu Sayyaf gunmen were
reportedly paid up to 5.5 million dollars for those released so far.
Azzarouq arrived in Jolo on
Sunday as part of an elaborate plan by Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi to secure the release
of the remaining hostages, informed sources said.
The mediator said he discussed
Libya's plans to set up "development projects" for the island with the Abu
Sayyaf as well as other Muslim community leaders and clerics in Jolo in separate talks
Monday. He said these include schools, medical clinics, and housing for one of the
country's poorest areas.
Azzarouq had earlier denied
reports that Libya would pay 25 million dollars to redeem the remaining hostages.
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