Indonesian Military Launches Intelligence Operation Over Hostage-Taking Crisis

Jakarta, (Antara) - Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) General Gatot Nurmantyo has launched an intelligence operation to closely monitor the Indonesians being held hostage in the southern Philippines.

"I have launched an intelligence operation. The objective is to prepare for every possibility. Whenever we obtain permission from the Philippines, we enter. We will do anything and are ready," the general emphasized at the State Palace, here, Monday.

Three Indonesian fishermen were abducted at gunpoint from a Malaysian fishing vessel in the Lahad Datu waters of Sabah State in Malaysia, while four other crew members were set free.

The kidnappers, believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf group, selected their targets, according to the fishermen's employer, Chia Tong Len.

"The situation that I highly regret is the fact that they made a selection. There were seven crew members in the boat. All Indonesian passport holders were checked and kidnapped," General Nurmantyo pointed out.

"I will do it, if a permission is received to enter there because it is already too much," he affirmed while referring to the Indonesian authorities' readiness to deploy military personnel to free the hostages.

The Indonesian government has offered to conduct joint patrolling and to escort cargo vessels sailing to and from the Philippines, the base of the Abu Sayyaf separatist group.

"We have offered everything, but it is up to the Philippines," the four-star general stated.

The three abducted hostages have been identified as 34-year-old Lorence Koten, 42-year-old Teodorus Kopong, and 40-year-old Emanuel and are the residents of East Nusa Tenggara Province.

Since March this year, Indonesia has faced four hostage incidents mostly in the waters of southern Philippines, with the two earliest crises ending peacefully as 14 Indonesians were released safely.

Ten Indonesian boat crew members were released on May 1 after being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group since March 26, 2016, while the four others held captive since April 15, 2016, were set free by the same group on May 11.

In the third crisis, seven Indonesian ship crew members of Tugboat Charles 001 and Barge Robby 152 were abducted in two incidents, with the first occurring on June 20, 2016, at 11:30 a.m. local time and another at 12:45 p.m. local time in the Sulu Sea while on their way back from the Philippines after delivering coal cargo.(*)