SEVENTEEN members of an Islamic State-linked group have been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping foreign and Filipino nationals in Malaysia nearly 25 years ago, the Philippine justice department said today.
In April 2000, members of Islamist extremist group Abu Sayyaf kidnapped at gunpoint 21 people from a holiday resort on the Malaysian island of Sipadan.
According to reports, the hostages included nationals of the Philippines, Finland, France, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia, and South Africa.
They endured months of captivity in the jungles of Jolo, about 955 km (515 miles) south of Manila, until they were ransomed for millions of dollars.
The 17 accused were found guilty on October 16 of 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom.
All were sentenced to life imprisonment on each count.
The kidnappers could not be charged with terrorism since the abductions happened in 2000, before the country had such applicable laws, it added. - October 21, 2024
