Cdns Kidnapped, Killed in Philippines (split fm Re: Politics in 2016)

[The Bread Guy]

Meanwhile, the PM has expressed "outrage". What a bad-ass.

I guess it's hard to have it both ways:  when the PM says not much, folks complain about "WTF's Canada doing?!?!?", and if the PM says too much, folks complain about "WTF's with the lack of OPSEC?!?!?!"

To be a bit partisan, this is now Team Red's problem to help solve, no question, but this started on Team Blue's watch, and I can't find too many complaints (around here, anyway) about what they said about the kidnapping:

... Canada’s Foreign Affairs Department said in an e-mailed statement that “the Government of Canada will not comment or release any information which may compromise continuing efforts and risk endangering the safety of Canadian citizens abroad.” ...

That bad ass enough for you?

 

[Cloud Cover]

This from PHL media ...

The Philippine armed forces, while quite numerous, are stretched mighty thin and have a large number of hotspots to contend with, excluding the gigantic monster which is China.  I would like to think that if their public position is "we got this",  then at least in private they are hopefully asking for whatever assistance they deem necessary. (money, equipment, ISR, special forces, internet intelligence etc.) and, we must give it to them NQA.  No person or organization in the world should feel safe if they lop off the head of a Canadian, and it should not matter at all why that Canadian was taken hostage and killed. In cases like this, proportionate, painful and lasting revenge is a "must", not a "should".

 

[The Bread Guy]

... I would like to think that if their public position is "we got this",  then at least in private they are hopefully asking for whatever assistance they deem necessary. (money, equipment, ISR, special forces, internet intelligence etc.) and, we must give it to them NQA ...

Agreed, 120%, and if I had to bet a loonie, I'd bet that something along these lines, at some (more than one?) level, is already happening - and has been since this started in September.

Good luck & good hunting to anyone helping out 

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest ...

The Abu Sayyaf issued a fresh warning on Tuesday, May 3, threatening to harm 3 hostages, just over a week after they beheaded a captive.

The trio – from Canada, Norway and the Philippines – appealed for help from the Philippine and Canadian governments in a video uploaded to YouTube Tuesday and reported by SITE intelligence group, which monitors jihadist media.

"To the Philippine government: Please stop shooting at us and trying to kill us. These guys are going to do a good job of that," Robert Hall, a Canadian, said in the video.

He said the kidnappers had told him to tell his own government "to meet the demand" -- though he did not specify what the demand was.

The southern Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf announced last week they had killed a Canadian hostage, retiree John Ridsdel, as an April 25 ransom deadline lapsed.

Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Marites Flor, Hall's Filipina girlfriend, also pleaded with the two governments.

The video showed them sitting on the ground, beneath what appeared to be a coconut plantation, with 6 gunmen standing behind them.

The Norwegian said that "if the demand is not met we will be executed like our friend John was a few days ago".

One of the gunmen then warned Manila to heed the "lesson" of Ridsdel's killing and avoid delays in negotiations ...

More here, here and here.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Impaling people who do this might have an effect

 

[The Bread Guy]

Impaling people who do this might have an effect

Agreed, but gotta catch 'em first ...

 

[jollyjacktar]

Impaling people who do this might have an effect

On a pork covered pole.  Vlad Tepes style.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Lookit who's trying to help out ...

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) said it has been finding ways to help secure the remaining captives taken from the Island Garden City of Samal on Sept 21, 2015 as the Abu Sayyaf released another video, in which the hostages pleaded for help.

Dr Samsula Adju, chair of the MNLF's Global Roving Diplomacy and Peace Advocacy, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Wednesday that they have been studying what measures to take to help end the ordeal of Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipino Maritess Flor.

"We want to help in their safe release," Adju said.

But Adju clarified that the MNLF was not considering any armed confrontation with the Abu Sayyaf.

"The MNLF will try its best again to have peaceful negotiation with the ASG leadership to avoid bloodshed and misunderstanding. Negotiation is the best measure to address the peace and security problem of the province. Military option, I think, is not the solution," he said ...

More on the MNLF here.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest ...

Abu Sayyaf extremists in the Philippines who last month beheaded a Canadian man say they will kill another Western hostage if a multi-million dollar ransom is not paid within four weeks.

A video released by the group — whose leaders have sworn allegiance to ISIL — shows Canadian Robert Hall and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad wearing orange shirts in a jungle setting, surrounded by hooded, armed men.

The men say their captors have threatened to kill at least one of them if no payment is received by June 13.

A caption on the video, carried by the terror-monitoring SITE Intelligence Group, says Abu Sayyaf is demanding 600 million pesos (US$12.8 million).*

In April, the group killed Canadian John Ridsdel after a ransom deadline passed.

Ridsdel, Mr Hall, Mr Sekkingstad, and Mr Hall’s Filipina girlfriend were abducted in 2015 from a resort on Samal island, hundreds of kilometres from Abu Sayyaf’s traditional strongholds ...

* - About CDN$ 16.7 million

 

[jollyjacktar]

I hope they find them before the deadline and if not I hope their end is quick.  Poor bastards. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest:

The (Philippine)military stood by its focused operations to rescue the three remaining Samal captives held by the Abu Sayyaf group, who released a “final message” from the hostages on Sunday.

Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the military has not seen the new video yet. However, he maintained that the deadline does not factor into Wesmincom's operations.

“With deadlines or not, we are working to get the kidnap victims,” Tan said.

Tan said the ground forces continued to pursue search and rescue operation in Sulu based on the available information.

“Our primary concern is the rescue and safety of the kidnap victims,” Tan added.

The military declined to divulge any information that may affect operations such as sightings of the Abu Sayyaf group and their kidnap victims.

In a fresh video posted on the Intelligence group SITE Sunday, the Abu Sayyaf group sent what it said is the “final message” of the Samal island captives.

Canadian Robert Hall, one of the three remaining Samal Island captives, appealed to incoming president and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and the Philippine government to coordinate with a certain woman at the Canadian Embassy for their release.

Hall was asking to work on their appeal “the sooner the better” for their release.

The Abu Sayyaf group has given June 13 as its deadline for the victims' families and governments to comply with its demand ...

 

[The Bread Guy]

R.I.P. x 2 ...

The Abu Sayyaf group has beheaded another Canadian hostage held on a southern Philippine island after ransom demands apparently were not met.

Robert Hall was confirmed dead on Monday by a military source who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity prior to the official announcment.

"Today Canadian kidnap victim identified as Robert Hall was beheaded by his abductor ... the Abu Sayyaf group," the military source said.

Abu Sayyaf spokesman were phoning local media on Monday noting the deadline for Hall's ranson had passed at 3pm local time and he had been killed ...

Still early reports - more here (via Google News).

 

[jollyjacktar]

:rage: :rage: :rage:  I hope the Philippine military find these assholes and terminate them with extreme prejudice. My condolences to the Hall family for their loss. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

From our PM's Info-machine:

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the likely death of Robert Hall:

“It is with deep sadness that I have reason to believe that a Canadian citizen, Robert Hall, held hostage in the Philippines since September 21, 2015, has been killed by his captors.

“While Canadian officials are working closely with authorities in the Philippines to formally confirm Mr. Hall’s death, we have compelling reason to believe that reports to this effect are, unfortunately, true. 

“The vicious and brutal actions of the hostage-takers have led to a needless death.

“Canada holds the terrorist group who took him hostage fully responsible for this cold-blooded and senseless murder.

“With the tragic loss of two Canadians, I want to reiterate that terrorist hostage-takings only fuel more violence and instability. Canada will not give into their fear mongering tactics and despicable attitude toward the suffering of others.

“This is precisely why the Government of Canada will not and cannot pay ransoms for hostages to terrorists groups, as doing so would endanger the lives of more Canadians.

“We are more committed than ever to working with the Government of the Philippines and international partners to pursue those responsible for these heinous acts and bring them to justice, however long it takes.

“The Government’s top priority, and my own as Prime Minister, is the safety and security of Canadian citizens.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Hall.

“They have suffered a terrible loss, and this is a devastating moment for them. Our thoughts are with them as they mourn this tragedy. I would ask that the media respect their privacy, and allow them time to come to terms with their loss.

“Today marks yet another difficult day for Canada and for Canadians as we grieve as a nation for the loss of both John Ridsdel, who was killed on April 25, and Robert Hall.”

 

[The Bread Guy]

:rage: :rage: :rage:  I hope the Philippine military find these assholes and terminate them with extreme prejudice.

Here's hoping ...

The beheading of a second Canadian hostage in the Philippines by ransom-seeking Abu Sayyaf extremists has prompted a major offensive by troops in the south of the country.

(...)

Following Mr Ridsdel's beheading on April 25 and Canadian expressions of outrage, Mr Aquino ordered an intensified offensive against the militants.

He plans to fly to Jolo, about 600 miles south of Manila, this week to impart a sense of urgency in containing the Abu Sayyaf.

One of the officials, a general, said Mr Aquino has made tremendous efforts to end the Abu Sayyaf's brutal presence before he steps down at the end of the month.

As things stand, however, the incoming president, the crime-busting former mayor Rodrigo Duterte, will have to take over the campaign to end the group's insurrection.

A reminder:  another hostage still in AS's hands, Kjartan Sekkingstad, may be was a permanent former resident of Canada in Campbell River, BC.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Interesting ....

Canadian officials twice rejected proposals from the Philippines government to approve rescue missions for Alberta hostages Robert Hall and John Ridsdel, says a Calgary-based security consultant claiming knowledge of the planned military interventions.

The allegation is being called “categorically untrue” by a senior Ottawa official, who denied that permission was ever sought by the Philippines government for potentially life-saving raids.

(...)

Humphrey, who founded the group Veterans for the Conservative Party of Canada and has been publicly critical of Trudeau, said even with Canada’s hard-line against negotiating with terrorists, the lives of Ridsdel and Hall could have been saved with a decisive and well-planned raid.

Humphrey said he remained in contact with senior officials with the Filipino military as they continued to train for a rescue mission early into 2016, and by March, one month ahead of the deadline for Ridsdel’s execution, the jungle hideout thought to be where the hostages were being held was confirmed by GPS trackers left in bags of money used to pay the ransom for a group of other hostages.

“In March, they were able to confirm the camp where they were being held and were pretty confident they were there,” Humphrey said. “They requested permission from Ottawa to go and the answer was ‘No.’

“In April, John Ridsdel was killed and the hostages were moved.”

Another ransom exchange of a large group of Indonesian and Malaysian citizens was made in May, Humphrey said, and a similar tactic confirmed the location of the new Abu Sayyaf jungle camp, prompting a second request to Canadian officials to launch a rescue operation.

“They requested permission to go again,” he said. “They didn’t have 100 per cent certainty they were there, but they were pretty certain.

“They were turned down again. I don’t know why the Canadian government didn’t allow Filipino marines to attempt those rescues.”

Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing hostage situation involving Flor and Sekkingstad, the senior Canadian official refuted the claim that requests for hostage rescue operations were ever made to the Canadian government.

However, there was no official comment from either the Prime Minister’s Office or the Ministry of Global Affairs about Humphrey’s claims Monday.

(...)

 

[jollyjacktar]

Interesting ....

Especially if this story has any legs to it.  I can't see, however, a raid being turned down if one was so offered without good bloody reason.

 

[Lightguns]

Why the hell would they request permission from Canada, their bloody country, their bloody terrorists, kill, kill, kill?

 

[The Bread Guy]

Why the hell would they request permission from Canada, their bloody country, their bloody terrorists, kill, kill, kill?

That's what makes me scratch my head, too.  The Phillipines has just come through an election cycle, so that may have been a factor, but that's just a WAG on my part.

Especially if this story has any legs to it.

:nod:  Right now, I'm happy to share it on the "is EVERYTHING ever in ANY media story?" basis - there must be more to it than this ...

 

[jollyjacktar]

That's what makes me scratch my head, too.  The Phillipines has just come through an election cycle, so that may have been a factor, but that's just a WAG on my part. :nod:  Right now, I'm happy to share it on the "is EVERYTHING ever in ANY media story?" basis - there must be more to it than this ...

Seeing as Canadian citizens were the victims, I could see the Philippine authorities asking to CYA in case things went south and they were killed in the attempt, or if we already had something in play that could have been upset (negotiations for example) by an rescue attempt. 

At least the present President doesn't seem to be one who will be all panty waisted "sunny ways" in dealing with the terrorists.  They, and their support element will be hammered flat and taken out if they get a chance to strike.