Posted on 05/20/2002 10:04:16 PM PDT by HAL9000
US hostage very ill, on stretcher: military
ONE of two American hostages held by Muslim kidnappers in the southern Philippines is seriously ill and is being carried around on a stretcher, a military officer said Tuesday.
Colonel Alexander Aleo said he had received intelligence that the condition of American captive Martin Burnham had worsened. Burnham, his wife Gracia and a Filipina nurse are being held by Abu Sayyaf Muslim group in the jungles of the island of Basilan. "His health has deteriorated drastically," said Aleo who is in charge of military forces hunting the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan.
There have been previous reports that Martin Burnham was suffering from malaria but Aleo said it was possible he had contracted other diseases.
The Burnhams, an American missionary couple and Filipina Ediborah Yap were kidnapped almost a year ago by the Abu Sayyaf, a shadowy rebel group who have been linked to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.
Aleo said the three hostages were being held by Abu Sayyaf militants who were receiving assistance from local Muslim communities in Basilan.
Because of Martin Burnham's condition, the group is being hampered in its movements, Aleo said as he expressed hope that the military would soon pin down their location and rescue them.
Over a dozen Filipino hostages and one American, Californian Guillermo Sobero, have been killed by the Abu Sayyaf since they launched their kidnapping spree in May 2001.
More than 1,000 US troops have been deployed in the southern Philippines to help local forces in their operation against the Abu Sayyaf.
However the Americans are barred from taking part in combat and can only fire back in self-defense.
Pray that these heathens will have an encounter with the Holy One which will cause them do what is right.
Missionaries don't 'choose' their field, it is chosen for them.
Because they're cold hearted, thieving, murdering cowards who prefer to attack under cover of darkness or in decisively superios numbers. They enjoy rape and pilliage. They enjoy murder and mutiliation. They have no human compassion. They care for nothing but keeping their own hides intact and as rich as possible. They are mindless zealots who believe their religion justifies their lifestyles of choice.
The Philippine publc hates the terrorists with a passion. When villiagers come upon a lone terrorist, they happily rip him to shreds, using their bare hands if necessary.
I tend to agree. In the videotaped interview of the the Burnhams, Martin looked awful. He looked like a concentration camp victim. He was chained to trees at night. He probably wasn't turning the other cheeck quite as much as the cowardists had hoped.
On the other hand, Martin had somehow convinced the cowardists not to chain Gracia, and to give her relative freedom. On the video, Gracia cried for the deprived terrorist teenagers, and said she wished she "could give them things" or something like that.
Islamic fundimentlists believe women are weak, stupid, childlike and in need of constant supervision by men, whereas MEN are considered strong, intelligent, honorable, etc. Therefore terrorist cowards probably assume that the West would feel more strongly toward a deathly ill woman than we would toward a deathly ill man - because men are strong and better able to take care of themselves.
Amen,........ More Grace and Mercy,........In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!
Even better....make a nice demilitarization zone between the southern portion of the Phillipines and northern portion by turning Basilan and surrounding islands into Bikini Atolls...
You're right. I'm sorry for the error in the headline.
I did post an article a few days ago that stated Gracia is suffering health problems too. - Philippines - Military checking reports Abu Sayyaf will free ill American hostage (Gracia Burnham)
Prayer for ALL the Burnham Family and FRiends!
Amen,........More Graca and Mercy,.........In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!
Prayer for ALL the Burnham Family and FRiends!
Amen,........More Graca and Mercy,.........In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!
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