Abu Sayyaf beheading incidents

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Abu Sayyaf was a radical Sunni Islamist group that has aggressively attacked civilians since the 1990s. It was notorious for beheading both military and civilian captives, [1] [2] especially when kidnap-for-ransom demands are not met. The victims included Filipinos, as well as foreign nationals. [3] Abu Sayyaf primarily operated in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago of the southern Philippines. [4]

Contents

List of incidents

VictimsDate
(approx.)		Number killed
(approx.)		Description
Filipino Christian schoolchildren, teachers and Catholic priestApril 19, 20002 [5] Two of 29 hostages being held captive since March 20, 2000 who are mostly schoolchildren as well as teachers and a Catholic priest are beheaded. [6]
Filipino Christian villagersAugust 3, 20019 [7] Nine villagers were beheaded after Abu Sayyaf group seized 30 hostages from a Christian village in the island of Basilan. [7]
Guillermo SoberoJune 19, 20011 [8]

An American citizen kidnapped from the Dos Palmas Resort, the first foreigner beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf. [8] [9] [10]

Jehovah's Witnesses August 22, 20022 [11] Two Jehovah's Witnesses were kidnapped were beheaded and their heads been dumped into a public market in the southern Philippines. The heads were found in a bag with a note saying "infidels." A Filipino Army Commander said Abu Sayyaf did this because they want "to punish the nonbelievers of Allah". [11]
Philippine Marines July 11, 200714–23 [12]

14–23 members of the Philippine Marines were beheaded during an encounter with Abu Sayyaf and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Basilan. [12]

Doroteo GonzalesMay 17, 20091 [13] A Filipino farmer kidnapped on April 25 was beheaded on May 17 after his family failed to pay a ransom for his release.
Gabriel CanizaresNovember 9, 20091 [14] On November 9, this Filipino teacher's head was found in a petrol station in Jolo three weeks after being kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf. [14] His body was found on November 11 in Patikul, Sulu. [15] Six other teachers who had also been kidnapped in the same year had all been released despite threats to behead them. [14]
Filipino loggers June 11, 20103 [16] Three men gathering wood near Maluso town on Basilan were abducted on June 11 and later beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants. [16]
Philippine MarinesJuly 28, 20115 [17] 5 out of 7 members of a Philippines Marine unit were beheaded during an encounter with Abu Sayyaf in the jungle of Sulu. [17]
Moro National Liberation Front February 2, 20138 [18] 8 members of the Moro National Liberation Front were beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants during an encounter in Patikul. [18]
Bernard ThenNovember 17, 20151 [19] After being kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants from a restaurant in neighboring Sandakan, Sabah on May 15, 2015, Then was brought to Parang, Sulu before being beheaded in Jolo after ransom demands were not met. [19] [20] [21]
John Ridsdel April 25, 20161 [22] An English-born Canadian who was kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants from a resort on Samal Island, Philippines on September 21, 2015, he was brought to Jolo together with Robert Hall and beheaded there. His head was found on April 25, 2016. [22]
Robert Hall June 13, 20161 [23] A Canadian kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf militants from a resort on Samal Island, Philippines on September 21, 2015, he was brought to Jolo together with John Ridsdel and beheaded there on June 13, 2016. [23]
Patrick AlmodovarAugust 24, 20161 [24] A Filipino teenager was executed after demands of at least one million dollars in ransom from the victim's family were not met. [25] The beheading of a very young hostage led the Philippines President to order more troops to be sent to combat Abu Sayyaf terrorism. [24]
Philippine Army August 29, 20162 [26] 2 Philippine soldiers were beheaded during their encounter with the Abu Sayyaf, while 15 other soldiers were killed in a gunfight. [26]
Jürgen Kantner February 27, 20171 [27] German tourists of Jürgen Kantner and his companion Sabine Merz were abducted from his yacht off Malaysia's Sabah state in November 2016. Merz's body was later found on the boat with gunshot wound. A deadline for 30 million pesos (€566,900; $600,000) in ransom expired on Sunday, February 26, 2017. Kantner was subsequently beheaded. [27]
Noel BescondeApril 16, 20171 [28] A captain of four Filipino fishermen was beheaded a year after they were abducted. The victim was beheaded simply because he was sick and was slowing down Abu Sayyaf's movement from place to place during continuous military operation. [28]
Anni SirajiApril 24, 20171 [29] A former MNLF member turned Filipino soldier was beheaded after he was abducted a week earlier. [30] The motive for the beheading was believed to be retaliation after three members of the Abu Sayyaf were killed during a continuous military operation in the area. [29]
Hoàng Trung Thông and Hoàng Văn HảiJuly 4, 20172 [31] Two Vietnamese sailors of the Vietnamese cargo ship Royal 16 who had been kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf in November 2016 were found beheaded in Sumisip town of Basilan. [31] [32]
Filipino loggersJuly 30, 20177 [33] Seven Filipino loggers who had been kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf on July 20, 2017 were found beheaded in two separate towns of Basilan. [34] [35]
Abdurahim Kituh and Nadzwa BahitlaJanuary 5, 20182 [36] A Filipino couple was found beheaded in a village in Basilan. [36]
Filipino villagerJanuary 17, 20191 [37] A Filipino villager was beheaded with his body dumped near the house of the Abu Sayyaf arrested member in a village of Barangay Kajadtian, Sulu after the victim been suspected of giving information to local authorities that leading to their member arrestment in Indanan, Sulu. [37]

Further reading

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References

  1. ↑ "Sayyaf holds 3, not 2, hostages". Manila Standard. December 15, 1995. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  2. ↑ "4 hostages killed during rescue". Sun Journal. May 4, 2000. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Muslim separatists terrorize Filipinos". The Victoria Advocate. January 13, 2002. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  4. ↑ "American troops' foray into southern Philippines evokes memories of Pershing, Colt .45". The Item. February 18, 2002. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Hostages beheaded in Philippines". BBC News. May 6, 2000. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Muslim rebels behead two hostages". BBC News. April 19, 2000. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Alex Spillius (August 5, 2001). "Philippines rebel kidnappers behead nine Christian hostages". The Telegraph. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Troops scour area for man rebels say they beheaded". USA Today. June 20, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  9. ↑ Dan Murphy (October 26, 2001). "The Philippine branch of terror". CS Monitor. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  10. ↑ ""I Paid No Ransom" Insists Businessman Reghis Romero II". News Flash (Philippines). December 7, 2001. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Jehovah's Witnesses beheaded in Philippines". The Guardian. August 22, 2002. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  12. 1 2 Paul Alexander; Teresa Cerojano; Jim Gomez (July 11, 2007). "Philippine army recovers beheaded bodies". Associated Press. USA Today. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Abu Sayyaf beheads carpenter". Philstar.com. May 19, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 "Teacher beheaded in Philippines". BBC News. November 9, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Body of beheaded Sulu principal recovered". GMA News. November 14, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Manny Mogato; RJ Rosalado (June 12, 2010). "'Painful' Independence Day as Abu Sayyaf beheads 3 loggers". Reuters. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  17. 1 2 DJ Yap; Julie Alipala; Norman Bordadora (July 30, 2011). "5 Marines beheaded by Abu Sayyaf; Aquino mad". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Julie S. Alipala (February 5, 2013). "Sulu rebels clash; 26 dead". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  19. 1 2 Muguntan Vanar; Stephanie Lee (November 17, 2015). "Malaysian hostage Bernard Then beheaded". The Star. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Police: Abu Sayyaf linked to Sabah kidnap". GMA News. May 15, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Demand for higher ransom led to beheading". The Star. November 17, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  22. 1 2 Brian Murphy (April 25, 2016). "Islamist militants behead Canadian man in southern Philippines". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  23. 1 2 Michael Friscolanti (June 13, 2016). "Extremists execute Canadian hostage in the Philippines". Macleans. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  24. 1 2 Leila B. Salaverria (August 25, 2016). "Rody orders troops to 'destroy' Abus after beheading of hostage". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Abu Sayyaf beheads 18-year-old hostage in Sulu". Sun.Star. August 24, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  26. 1 2 Hader Glang (August 30, 2016). "Battles ongoing between Philippines army and Abu Sayyaf". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Philippine Abu Sayyaf jihadists behead German hostage in video". BBC News. February 27, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  28. 1 2 "Abu Sayyaf captive beheaded in Philippines, says army". Al Jazeera. April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  29. 1 2 "Abu Sayyaf beheads kidnapped Philippine soldier". Reuters. Al Jazeera. April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  30. ↑ "ARMM gov, Darul Ifta condemn Abu Sayyaf for beading[sic] MNLF integree". Philippine News Agency. Philippine Canadian Inquirer. April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  31. 1 2 Svilen Petrov (July 6, 2017). "Two Vietnamese Seafarers Beheaded By Abu Sayyaf Piracy Group". Maritime Herald. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  32. ↑ Zhang Dongmiao (July 7, 2017). "Vietnam condemns Abu Sayyaf murder of 2 sailors". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  33. ↑ Bong Garcia (July 31, 2017). "Abu Sayyaf bandits behead 7 people". Sun.Star Zamboanga. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  34. ↑ Aaron Recuenco (July 31, 2017). "7 Basilan loggers beheaded by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Bodies of 7 loggers killed by Abu Sayyaf found in S. Philippines". Xinhua News Agency. July 31, 2017. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  36. 1 2 Chengcheng (January 5, 2018). "Abu Sayyaf terror group beheads Filipino couple". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  37. 1 2 Roel Pareño (January 21, 2019). "Abu Sayyaf behead villager in Sulu". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
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