Posted on 05/14/2002 5:23:15 AM PDT by blam
Philippine Gunmen Said Willing to Free U.S. Hostage Tue May 14, 2:29 AM ET
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Reuters) - The Philippine military said on Tuesday Muslim guerrillas might release a U.S. woman missionary who has been held hostage for almost a year because her health was deteriorating.
"This is a raw information subject to verification," southern military command spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Danilo Servando told reporters.
"Perhaps, the Abu Sayyaf is considering this for humanitarian reasons."
Manila newspapers, quoting an unidentified emissary in touch with the guerrillas, said Abu Sayyaf guerrillas were considering releasing Gracia Burnham because her health was deteriorating because of a urinary tract infection.
Burnham and her husband, Martin, also a missionary, have been held captive along with a Philippine nurse for more than 11 months on the island of Basilan, a stronghold of the guerrillas who have been linked by the United States to Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s al Qaeda network.
The United States has accused bin Laden and al Qaeda of masterminding the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
Media reports said Martin Burnham was showing signs of suffering from malaria, based on information gathered from the emissary who had gone to the rebel lair to deliver medicine to the U.S. couple.
"What we have gathered from the ground is that the health of Gracia is deteriorating but we are still verifying this," Servando said.
"We hope it is true what the emissary is saying, whoever he is."
The U.S. military has sent hundreds of troops to Basilan island for military exercises to train Philippine soldiers in counter-terrorism and help them defeat the Abu Sayyaf.
The U.S. contingent includes special forces and military engineers building roads and airstrips to enable local troops to move rapidly against the guerrillas.
The Burnhams were among 20 people, including a third American, abducted by the Abu Sayyaf from a tourist resort off Palawan island in the country's southwest on May 27 last year.
The guerrillas brought their captives to Basilan where they seized more hostages, including nurse Deborah Yap.
They later beheaded the third American, Californian Guillermo Sobero, and several Filipinos but released most of the others in exchange for ransom.
An Abu Sayyaf spokesman said on local radio this month the group might kill the Burnhams after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (news - web sites)'s government rejected a guerrilla call for negotiations.
The government has told the rebels to free their captives without conditions and surrender or they would be crushed.
Amen,.......More Grace and Mercy,.......In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!
Amen.
Right.
They just don't want her do die in their custody...could REALLY piss people off.
FMCDH
Right.
They just don't want her do die in their custody...could REALLY piss people off.
FMCDH
Amen,.........More Grace and Mercy,........In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!
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