By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
An al-Qaeda-linked militant group in the Philippines’ south has threatened to behead two German nationals kidnapped last April unless Manila pays a ransom of over $5.6 million and Germany stops supporting United States actions against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
A message posted on a twitter account attributed to the group said “Abu Sayaf says #Manila should pay 250 million Pesos, #Germany should stop supporting US in its war on #ISIL."
A photograph accompanying the message shows masked gunmen, one of them gesturing to strike the German couple with a bolo - a knife similar to a machete.
Stefan Viktor Okonek, 71, and female companion Herike Diesen, 55, were initially reported missing while sailing on their yacht near Rio Tubbataha off Puerto Princesa City in the southern island province of Palawan last April.
Their yacht was found by the Philippine Coast Guard, with authorities believing they were taken to the Abu Sayyaf stronghold of Sulu.
In the tweet, the militants said they would "kill one of the two hostages" if their demands were not met within 15 days, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks communications.
Police official Abraham Orbita said "As far as such demands are concerned, we are verifying it."
On being contacted by the Anadolu Agency, the German Embassy in Manila declined comment.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police had allayed fears that ISIL has been recruiting members in the Philippines.
“This issue is continuously being monitored by our Directorate for Intelligence and as of now, there are information but they are considered raw and they have not yet been validated or verified,” Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said Wednesday.
“We can assure that the public has nothing to worry about if the ISIS [ISIL] has penetrated into the country,” Sindac added.
On July 23, a video was posted on YouTube of senior Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon -- who has a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head -- surrounded by masked men declaring support for ISIL.
In August, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said some residents had been recruited by ISIL and left the country in July.
Duterte’s confirmation reinforced the claim of former President Fidel V. Ramos, who recently said in a television interview that about 100 young Filipinos are training with the extremist group - which has captured large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, later declaring the territories under its control an Islamic "caliphate."
ISIL has captured large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, later declaring the territories under its control an Islamic "caliphate." The U.S. and its Arab allies began bombing ISIL targets inside Syria on Tuesday, after conducting airstrikes in Iraq since August.
Germany has ruled out taking part in the airstrikes, but did break a post-World War II taboo on sending weapons to active conflict zones by agreeing to arm Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq.
About 200 U.S. special forces troops have been deployed in the southern Philippines since 2002 to help train and advise local soldiers in fighting what they term "Islamic extremists."
Related story: Philippines mayor: Hardcore militant recruitment rampant
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