Freed hostage Warren Rodwell kidnapped after love took him to Philippine region of Mindanao

[Harpa Timsah 13,259]

This thread is a year old, and a new member came to post a follow up story. Okay.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

This thread is a year old, and a new member came to post a follow up story. Okay.

I didn't even see who added the comment until you said something. I pray this time you're wrong...

[PearlAngel 2]

This thread is a year old, and a new member came to post a follow up story. Okay.

Thank you for noticing, Harpa Timsah, Su and Marvin.This thread seemed to have gone

way off track. The most recent development in this kidnapping incident is the arrest

of the kidnap gang leader last month.

When searching for more information, this VisaJourney thread came up, so in reply to

the OP(not any other tangent):

Freed hostage Warren Rodwell kidnapped after love took him to Philippine region of Mindanao

Please read on ...

http://www.krmagazine.com/2014/03/20/filipino-kidnap-gang-leader-captured/

Filipino kidnap gang leader captured

March 20, 2014 by admin in Asia and Pacific,

The notorious leader of a kidnap for ransom gang tagged as one of the suspects in the kidnapping of Australian national Warren Rodwell in 2011 was arrested together with two other companions in a police operation yesterday, March 19th, in Metro Manila. Police have identified the arrested suspect as Mamay Aburi, leader of the notorious Mamay Aburi kidnap for ransom gang based in Zamboanga Peninsula.

Aburi was arrested together with suspects Moin Dunggan and three other unidentified suspects. The group was arrested at San Antonio Avenue Parañaque City around 12 noon by virtue of an existing warrant of arrest for illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Aburi was reportedly responsible for the series of kidnapping and extortion activities in Zamboanga Peninsula, including the kidnapping of Rodwell.

Aburi was also tagged as one of the suspects behind the kidnapping of teacher Cathy May Casipong in Zamboanga City last December and was reportedly present when Casipong was released at a bus terminal in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay last week. Other victims of the Aburi gang were identified as 5-year-old Alexa dela Cruz, Cynthia Cabuberder, and Randel Talania.

Units responsible for the arrest of the group include joint elements of the 9th, 14th, 15th, 17th Intelligence Service Units, Philippine Army Rapid Deployment Battalion, Special Action Forcer, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Anti Organized Crime Division, 10th SAF Battalion, and the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime.

Source: Solar News

[Danno 1,228]

I think him and the wife should try to patch things up.... heck he is the adventurous type and worst case scenario she provided one.

Then on the other hand, we have not seen her picture.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Also it is because they are classified as terrorists now. When I was in the military about the mid 80's we were going into that region and searching and destroying Communists. Now they are classified as Muslim terrorists and seperatists. When we are done with this meaningless war they will be called some other group and looked at as an enemy class again.

Nice comment, as least it's better than what's been floating around here.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Also it is because they are classified as terrorists now. When I was in the military about the mid 80's we were going into that region and searching and destroying Communists. Now they are classified as Muslim terrorists and seperatists. When we are done with this meaningless war they will be called some other group and looked at as an enemy class again.

Yeah, my old boss used to go there for TAD, takes a special kind of clearance and procedures to even step foot into Mindanao.

[PearlAngel 2]

I think him and the wife should try to patch things up.... heck he is the adventurous type and worst case scenario she provided one.

Then on the other hand, we have not seen her picture.

Fascinating idea, Danno

Based on the picture above,

do you have any more comments?

_____________________________________

This is the link to the online picture

(in case it doesn't appear on this page)

http://images.theage.com.au/2011/12/07/2822369/vd-Richard_Rodwell-408x264.jpg

.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Yeah. They used to use it as training for special forces. I just wanted to note that the same enemy we had back then were supposed to be "commies" but now are known as "Muslim seperatists". It is almost like it is "1984".

Yeah, my old boss used to go there for TAD, takes a special kind of clearance and procedures to even step foot into Mindanao.

[PearlAngel 2]

Yeah. They used to use it as training for special forces. I just wanted to note that the same enemy we had back then were supposed to be "commies" but now are known as "Muslim seperatists". It is almost like it is "1984".

SOME FURTHER READING FOR THE HISTORY BUFFS .....

Abu Sayyaf Crime, Ideology, Autonomy Movement? The Complex Evolution of a Militant Islamist Group in the Philippines

http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/abu-sayyaf-crime-ideology-autonomy-movement-the-complex-evolution-of-a-militant-islamist-gr

Introduction

Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is a terrorist organization operating in the southern Philippines. Founded in Basilan Province, it is mainly located in the Sulu Archipelago in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. ASG has been classified as a terrorist organization by the United States since October 1997. The focus on ASG was intensified following the 9/11 attacks on the United States (US) based on a presumed association with Al Qaeda Throughout its existence beginning in the early 1990s, ASG has waffled back and forth between criminality and terrorism. Although ASG has committed terrorist acts, its actions did not always reflect an Islamic ideological basis and appeared to be base on monetary gains. More recently, ASG has returned to its roots embracing its extremist views and aligning itself with known militant organizations. The history of its resistance and its cultural form of governance is necessary to understand the development of the organization. The ASG continues to go through an evolutionary process as do the factors that support its continuing operations.

Moro History in Southern Philippines

The ASG was originally founded as al-Harakatul al-Islamiyyah (AHAI), also known as the Islamic Movement, in 1989 by Abdurajak Janjalani. However, the historical events producing an environment supportive of the development of a terrorist organization dates back centuries. Islam was brought to the Philippines by Muslim traders in the 14th century from Indonesia. Muslim communities were established in southern Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago and into Mindanao. Conflict in the region began with Ferdinand Magellan and the Spanish conquest leading to Philippine colonization by the Spanish in 1565. The Catholic Spanish converted large portions of the northern Philippines to Catholicism, but met resistance in the Muslim south. Due to the history of war with Muslims in Spain, the Spanish were hostile to the “Moros”, their name for the Muslim people, this animosity towards the Moros transferred to the people of the Catholic north (this sentiment persists into modern day). As the Spanish continued to push south into traditional Muslim lands, the first Moro resistance began. The Spanish saw this as a modern day “reconquita,” harkening back to the reconquest of Spain from the Muslims in 1492.

After the defeat of the Spanish in the Spanish-American War, the US took control of the Philippines under the 1898 Treaty of Paris. Although there were uprisings in the north and south, the Philippine Insurrection in the north ended in 1902. The Philippine Insurrection would shape future General George Marshall, who served as a lieutenant and gained a healthy respect for the fighting capabilities of the Moros. In the south, the resistance continued through Philippine Independence in 1946. Although the Philippines were unified as one country, following Japanese occupation and the end of World War II, the divide between the north and south did not close. The Muslim south did not feel represented or supported by their government. Catholics from the north were encouraged to move south and were given titles to their newly claimed land. The Muslim south took this as a threat to their land and communities. Additionally, the Moros did not feel they had the same access to education, the legal system, or medical care. This, coupled with religious differences, led to a renewed resistance against their government and support for a Moro independent state. In 1969, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) began as an organization created to attain the goal of an independent Muslim state in the southern Philippines. The plight of the MNLF gained global attention garnering support from university students in the Middle East as well as government leaders. Muammar Qaddafi from Libya was reported to have supplied arms and training to the Moro through Malaysia.

The Moro were skilled fighters and adept at warfare tactics in the difficult terrain in the south. When progress was not made in suppressing the MNLF uprising, pressure was put on Ferdinand Marcos to come to a peace agreement. In 1976, a cease-fire was reached establishing an autonomous semi-independent zone in Mindinao, a southern region of the Philippines. At first, the agreement was perceived as a step in the right direction giving the MNLF global attention and gaining additional foreign support to include Iran. However, the implementation of the agreement was poor, which led to additional turmoil in the region. The military that was left in the region was virtually unsupported leaving them to fend for themselves. Political overlords hired soldiers to provide protection and criminal activity. Dissatisfaction with the truce ensued which instigated renewed efforts for a completely independent state resulting in a split in the MNLF in 1977.

The new organization that severed ties with the MNLF was formalized and named the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 1983. The founders of MILF were the more militant members of the MNLF and were well armed. There were disputes as to who was the “true” representative of the Moro people leading to infighting between the groups as well as the Philippine government.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Yeah. They used to use it as training for special forces. I just wanted to note that the same enemy we had back then were supposed to be "commies" but now are known as "Muslim seperatists". It is almost like it is "1984".

Like you said, we will always have enemies, no matter what year it is.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Like you said, we will always have enemies, no matter what year it is.

But it is often not too funny to learn that your current enemy turns out to be the vile incarnation of your own CIA. Guess who was born in the conflict with the Russians in Afghanistan? Trained and fought with the Mujahadeen?

Cue Disney and 'It's a Small World After All. '

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

But it is often not too funny to learn that your current enemy turns out to be the vile incarnation of your own CIA. Guess who was born in the conflict with the Russians in Afghanistan? Trained and fought with the Mujahadeen?

Cue Disney and 'It's a Small World After All. '

The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that jazz. Pretty soon, we'll all either hate or love each other.

[Danno 1,228]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that jazz. Pretty soon, we'll all either hate or love each other.

People tend to love their neighbor more when he stays in his own yard or comes over by invitation only.

[PearlAngel 2]

Kidnap, Ransom and Extortion (KRE) in the Philippines

On (23 March 2013), Warren Rodwell was released in Padigan City, capital of Zamboanga del Sur province, after over 15 months in captivity. He was kidnapped from the restive Mindanao region of the southern Philippines on 5 December 2011. Rodwell, an Australian national who was a long-time resident of the Philippines, was abducted from his home in the town of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay province, by a group of six or seven suspected militants from the Abu Sayyaf separatist group. It is believed that he was held on the island province of Basilan and then on Sulu, both rugged and mountainous islands where law enforcement capability is severely limited and where Abu Sayyaf is known to have a significant presence.

Rodwell’s much publicised release is the most recent in a string of incidents that have underscored the persistent threat of kidnap for ransom and extortion (KRE) in the Philippines. According to statistics released by the Philippine National Police (PNP), 11, 14, 41 and 57 incidents of KRE were reported in 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009 respectively. However, due to a lack of data or contradictory data and the fact that only a small proportion of incidents are reported to authorities, as well as the desire of authorities to downplay the high-threat KRE environment, actual numbers are likely to be significantly higher. Indeed, according to open-source data collected by red24, over 20 foreign nationals alone were kidnapped across the country in 2011. Although the aforementioned figures released by the PNP represent an apparent decrease in KRE activity, the Philippines continues to have the highest KRE rate in South East Asia. Given the Philippines’s poor socio-economic situation and the prevalence and resilience of criminal gangs and separatist groups, the threat of KRE is unlikely to decline in the short- to medium-term. Further to this, ample anecdotal evidence, as well as high levels of insecurity, police corruption, incompetence or collusion and judicial ineffectiveness, points to an environment in which kidnapping thrives.

Perpetrators

The majority of incidents are carried out by Islamist and separatist militant groups, which uses kidnapping as a method to advance their political or ideological goals, and to fund their operations. The criminal affiliates of these groups and professional criminal kidnapping gangs also carry out abductions, but purely for financial gain. Dependent on motivation and logistical capabilities, these groups may operate separately from one another or co-operatively. Several armed separatist groups, including the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and its largest offshoot, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), have for years fought for autonomy in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. These groups have used bombings and armed attacks to promote their cause, and have engaged in KRE operations in the past.

However, several peace agreements were forged between the government and the MNLF in 1996, as well as with the MILF in 1997; these were followed by further talks. In light of these events, these groups have publicly stated that they do not view kidnapping civilians as a means of achieving their aims. Nonetheless, several renegade commanders from each group are believed to still be involved in KRE activities, thus perpetuating the idea that MNLF and MILF still carry out abductions.

The group believed to be responsible for the most abductions of foreign nationals is Abu Sayyaf. It is the most combatant of the rebel groups in southern Philippines, and was a faction of the MNLF before it split from the group in 1991 to pursue a more fundamentalist stance against the government. The group has conducted many high-profile abductions, including that of Warren Rodwell, as well as Pang Choon Pong. Pong, a Malaysian national of Chinese descent, was abducted from the village of Larep in Tawi-Tawi province on 5 October 2011; he was released on 16 March 2013. Abu Sayyaf has been responsible for numerous other kidnappings of tourists, foreign workers and locals; estimates place its earnings from kidnapping since its inception until the end of 2011 at approximately US$35 million. It is also heavily involved in extortion in its areas of operation. In July 2012, Abu Sayyaf militants attacked a rubber plantation on Basilan island because the plantation owner ignored several threatening letters from the group demanding payment in exchange for protection; six people were killed and over a dozen injured.Criminal groups also play a role in KRE. One of the most prominent of these is the Pentagon Gang. The group, founded by former members of the MILF and the MNLF in Mindanao, has carried out many successful kidnappings, both in the south of the country as well as in metro Manila, where it works together with other local gangs.

The Pentagon Gang gained notoriety for the kidnapping of an Italian priest, Guissepe Pierrantoni, in Zamboanga del Sur province in 2001, as well as the abduction of five Chinese engineers in the town of Carmen, North Cotabato, that same year. However, internal quarrels in recent years and the death of its leader, Tahir Alonto, in September 2011 have resulted in several smaller offshoots emerge from the group, thus eroding its operational capability. Despite this, the criminal organisation still poses a threat. Several of its leaders have regularly managed to elude arrest and detention, raising suspicion that local police and security forces have been protecting or abetting the group’s activities. In another instance of local authority involvement, Alvarez Isnaji, the mayor of Indanan town on the island of Sulu, was charged with involvement in engineering the abduction of well-known local journalist Ces Drilon in June 2008 and pocketing a portion of the ransom. Suspicion has also fallen on other local politicians and security forces of collaborating with the kidnappers in order to raise money for political campaigns.

A host of other criminal groups also exist that are involved in KRE activities. In the greater metro Manila area alone, a number of organised crime groups are known to exist in the Northern Police District (15 organised crime groups), Manila Police District (18), Eastern Police District (5), Southern Police District (9) and Quezon City Police Districts (17). However, it should be noted that these groups do not exclusively focus on KRE; rather KRE makes up one of several illicit activities that they are involved in, including carjacking, armed robberies and express kidnapping. In addition, there are reasons to believe that members of local communities, often acting as informants, are frequently involved in kidnapping cases; victims are often initially abducted by ordinary criminal groups, who for a fee pass them over to groups such as Abu Sayyaf.

http://www.liueurope.com/viewfile.cfm?d=285&h=B197659C563C3E628FC16CC2F6FF18C0A59F4B97CF5501CB1B01A82706386C70

Edited April 8, 2014 by PearlAngel