Killed Burnham, its wounded but released wife
Friday June 07, 2002 - 8h35 GMT
ZAMBOANGA (the Philippines), June 7 (AFP) - an American hostage held by islamists in the south of the Philippines was killed while his wife, blessée, were released at the time of an operation of help carried out by the army of Manila cigar Friday, indicated a General Filipino to the AFP.
The General declared that Martin Burnham had died and was not able to specify the gravity of the wounds of Gracia Burnham.
The couple of Protestant missionnaires was held since more than one year in the south of the Philippines by the group Abu Sayyaf.
They were kept on the island of Basilan whereas 5.000 soldiers Filipinos tried since months to come to end from the guérilleros with the assistance from a thousand of American soldiers serving advisers and trainers.
The couple originating in Kansas and which had spent fifteen years to the Philippines had chosen a seaside resort of the west of the archipelago to celebrate there its 18è anniversary of marriage last year.
May 27, 2001, of the guérilleros of the group Abu Sayyaf, known for its bloody taking of hostages, the paradise for tourists attacked and seized 20 people, of which Burnham, before regaining its stronghold of Basilan.
Abu Sayyaf, shown terrorism by the president George W Bush after the attacks of September 11, had decapitated in June of last year another American, a tourist, Guillermo Sobero, removed with the couple of missionnaires.
AFP: Hostage Martin Burnham died in crossfire
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Roy Cimatu confirmed Friday afternoon that the Abu Sayyaf hostages nurse Ediborah Yap and Martin Burnham died, while his wife Gracia was wounded, in an armed clash between military troops and the bandits near the border area of Sirawai and Sibuco in Zamboanga del Norte.
Gracia Burnham was rushed to the Southcom hospital in Zamboanga City for emergency medical treatment with American medics assisting.
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Martin Burnham executed: ground commander
NO US TROOPS INVOLVED
Posted: 5:50 PM (Manila Time) | Jun. 07, 2002
Agence France-Presse
ZAMBOANGA US hostage Martin Burnham was murdered by Abu Sayyaf guerrillas during a surprise military rescue attempt in the southern Philippines on Friday, the army commander on the ground told Agence France-Presse.
Burnham and Filipina nurse Ediborah Yap were killed and Burnham's wife Gracia was wounded but freed in the raid near the town of Siraway, according to officials. Kansas native Martin Burnham, 42, "was executed by the Abu Sayyaf rebels" when they realized that a rescue attempt was underway, Army Scout Rangers Col. Renato Padua said.
Gracia Burnham was "grazed by a bullet," he said without elaborating.
There was no mention of how Yap was killed.
Four Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed and seven soldiers were wounded in the firefight, which continued in the mountainous area into late afternoon, Padua added by telephone.
"This is a close-quarter battle," he said. "No American troops are involved here."
Over the past four months, 1,000 US military advisers have been training Filipino troops going after the Abu Sayyaf, a band of Muslim guerrillas with reputed links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
My hope is that before the day is over there, there will be 60 or so fundy islamics on the way to Hell.
ChronologyNTM missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham have served in the Philippines since 1986. Martin is a pilot and Gracia assists in a variety of roles that support NTM's aviation program there.
Martin grew up in the Philippines, the eldest son of Paul and Oreta Burnham who continue to minister there. Gracia is a daughter of Rev. Norvin and Betty Jo Jones of Arkansas. Martin and Gracia's three children -- Jeff, 15, Mindy, 12, and Zach, 11 -- were born in the Philippines.
The Burnhams were kidnapped May 27, 2001, while celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary at Dos Palmas Resort off Palawan Island. Rebels from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) seized several more guests, including another American, Guillermo Sobero, and took them to Basilan Island, an ASG stronghold.
Early in the ordeal, the Philippine military surrounded the hostages and their kidnappers, who had holed up in a hospital, but the ASG escaped with more hostages, including Filipina nurse Deborah Yap. In the ensuing months, Mr. Sobero's body was found. Other hostages were killed, but most were set free. Since November 2001, only the Burnhams and Ms. Yap remain in captivity.
In the same month, a Philippine television network broadcast a video clip of the Burnhams. Martin's considerable weight loss and the couple's emotional fatigue were evident. Nonetheless, released hostages reported that the faith and hope Martin and Gracia have in Christ has been evident and encouraging.
The Philippine military has repeatedly said it has the ASG rebels surrounded. The Philippine government is pursuing a military solution. In mid-December US authorities told NTM representatives and Burnham family members that the USA would take a more active role in seeking freedom for Martin and Gracia. US troops have been sent to the Philippines.
The couple has now been in captivity a year. We do not understand all that God is doing, or why, but we will continue to trust Him.
Thank heaven Gracia survived - surly a accident on the part of the "good guys". I pray she be given the emotional strength to recover from this ordeal.