A gunman suspected of being from Abu Sayyaf is watching vessels (Source: VNA) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Security at Malaysia’s Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (Esszone) has beenintensified following information on possible kidnapping plans by terror groupAbu Sayyaf.
Eastern Sabah SecurityCommand (Esscom) Commander Hazani Ghazali said that Esscom has mobilised allassets to the field and guard posts to prevent the cross-border crime. He alsoasked residents in the Esszone to inform the Command if they notice anysuspicious activities or movement at sea.
On October 30,Malaysia’s Marine Link portal released a statement by the Philippines CoastGuard (PCG) reporting that a group of ten Abu Sayyaf members armed with pistols,rifles, and grenade launchers were looking to carry out kidnappings at severallocations in Sabah. They seemed to be targeting businessmen and foreign vesselcrew passing these areas.
The group was usingunmarked blue-and-white speedboats for this purpose, the statement said.
The statement alsourged vessel crew members and owners to take extra precaution when transitingthe waters of the eastern Sabah and Philippines Sulu Sea.
Abu Sayyaf is a small,violent group that operates in the western fringes of the southern Philippine islandof Mindanao and on the Sulu islands extending from Mindanao.
The group has pledged allegiance to the self-claimed Islamic State and hascarried out kidnappings for ransom of both foreigners and Filipinos.–VNA
Eastern Sabah SecurityCommand (Esscom) Commander Hazani Ghazali said that Esscom has mobilised allassets to the field and guard posts to prevent the cross-border crime. He alsoasked residents in the Esszone to inform the Command if they notice anysuspicious activities or movement at sea.
On October 30,Malaysia’s Marine Link portal released a statement by the Philippines CoastGuard (PCG) reporting that a group of ten Abu Sayyaf members armed with pistols,rifles, and grenade launchers were looking to carry out kidnappings at severallocations in Sabah. They seemed to be targeting businessmen and foreign vesselcrew passing these areas.
The group was usingunmarked blue-and-white speedboats for this purpose, the statement said.
The statement alsourged vessel crew members and owners to take extra precaution when transitingthe waters of the eastern Sabah and Philippines Sulu Sea.
Abu Sayyaf is a small,violent group that operates in the western fringes of the southern Philippine islandof Mindanao and on the Sulu islands extending from Mindanao.
The group has pledged allegiance to the self-claimed Islamic State and hascarried out kidnappings for ransom of both foreigners and Filipinos.–VNA
VNA
