'Proof of life' video from Australian hostage
Retired Australian soldier Warren Rodwell was taken at gunpoint from his house in the Philippines over a year ago. This video was posted on YouTube on Christmas day, on a channel allegedly associated with the Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf.
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THE release of fresh video footage showing the Australian hostage Warren Rodwell alive a year after his kidnapping in the southern Philippines gives some hope that a deal might be struck for his release, according to some experts.
''It's encouraging to know that he is still alive,'' said a regional analyst from Deakin University, Professor Damien Kingsbury.
''It's very positive that [the kidnappers] have shown a video and I think that means there is some seriousness to a discussion about a negotiation for his release. I would say his chances are probably slightly better than even at the moment.''
Warren Rodwell just before his capture. Photo: Supplied
Neil Fergus, a former Australian intelligence officer who now runs a private company, Intelligent Risks, also saw the video as ''some cause for optimism'', although not necessarily proof a deal was near.
Mr Rodwell's family members in Australia were keeping quiet on Thursday and the Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, would only say Canberra was ''assisting Philippines authorities where appropriate'' and that it was in ''regular communication'' with the family.
However, there is mounting criticism that the federal government is being too cautious in its public pronouncements.
Australian policy is not to pay ransoms, the main source of income for the militant Islamic Abu Sayyaf group, which snatched Mr Rodwell from his home in the seaside town of Ipil on December 5 last year.
But Mr Fergus said the government should send a message to Mr Rodwell's kidnappers about Australia's aid dollars in the region.
''It would be helpful if the Australian government could convey some messages about the nature and extent of Australian aid going into Mindanao and the fact that their continued holding of Rodwell may place in jeopardy those programs,'' Mr Fergus told Fairfax Media.
''Abu Sayyaf should know … that we do care about Mr Rodwell as an Australian citizen.''
An independent researcher on counter-insurgency in the Southern Philippines, Bob East, also says more publicity would boost Rodwell's chances of survival.
''If the coverage goes quiet, whichever group that has him might think he's not worth anything to them,'' Dr East said.
Mr Rodwell, 54, a former soldier who has spent many years in Asia, was snatched by half a dozen gunmen posing as policemen and is reported to have been taken to Basilan Island, off the Zamboanga Peninsula. The kidnappers have demanded a $2 million ransom.
At the time of his capture he had reportedly recently separated from his second wife, a 28-year old Filipina, Miraflor Gutang.
The new two-minute video appears to have been shot on December 16 and shows him clutching a copy of a local newspaper dated the previous day. Looking gaunt and sounding tired and in poor spirits, he says he has been in captivity for 378 days, that ''something is happening but I don't know when'' and he holds ''no hope at all for being released''.
''I do not trust the Abu Sayyaf, I do not trust the Australian government,'' he said. ''I just don't trust anyone. Personally, I don't care.''
His open criticism of Abu Sayyaf has led some observers to speculate that he might have been sold to another group.
A counter-terrorism expert from Macquarie University, Professor Clive Williams, said the mountainous terrain of Basilan was notoriously difficult for the Philippine army to penetrate and that many of its villagers were loyal to Abu Sayyaf.
''I think it's only going to be resolved through negotiation,'' Professor Williams said.
''Realistically there is not a lot of prospect of a rescue operation.''
Last year a Senate inquiry recommended eight options for how the government should handle such kidnappings, including the option that DFAT inform the family about ''engaging a private kidnap and ransom consultant''.
''One of the most compelling messages coming out of this inquiry was the importance of government agencies, especially DFAT, exercising greater care, consideration and diligence in the way they deal with the distressed families of a person kidnapped and held for ransom overseas,'' the committee reported.
Over the past decade 19 Australians have been kidnapped, mostly in Africa and the Middle East.
Mr Rodwell is the only Australian kidnapped in the Philippines.
with Al Jacinto in Zamboanga
Warren Rodwell – former soldier, university teacher, hostage survivor and songwriter ... is the longest held Australian captive outside war.
ReplyDeleteWarren Richard Rodwell (born June 16, 1958 Homebush NSW) grew up in Tamworth NSW Australia. He was shot through the right hand when seized from his home at Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on December 5, 2011 by Abu Sayyaf (ASG) militants. Rodwell later had to have a finger amputated.
The ASG threatened to behead Rodwell if the original ransom demand for $US2 million was not paid.Both the Philippine and Australian governments had strict policies of refusing to pay ransoms. Australia formed a multi-agency task force to assist the Philippine authorities, and liaise with Rodwell's family. A news blackout was imposed. Filipino politicians helped negotiate the release. After the payment of $AUD94,000 for "board and lodging" expenses by his siblings, Rodwell was released 472 days later on March 23, 2013. The incumbent Australian prime minister praised the Philippines government for securing Rodwell's release. Tribute was also made to Australian officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Australian Federal Police and Defence. Rodwell subsequently returned to Australia.
As part of the 2015 Australia Day Honours, Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel Paul Joseph Barta was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding devotion to duty as the Assistant Defence Attaché Manila during the Australian whole of government response to the Rodwell kidnap for ransom (and immediately following, the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan). At the 2015 Australian Federal Police Foundation Day award ceremony in Canberra, fourteen AFP members received the Commissioners’ Group Citation for Conspicuous Conduct for their work in support of the Philippine National Police and Australian Government efforts to release Australian man Warren Rodwell.
DeleteBy the end of his 15 months as a hostage in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Rodwell had lost about 30 kilograms in weight due to starvation, His biography 472 Days Captive of the Abu Sayyaf - The Survival of Australian Warren Rodwell by independent researcher Dr Robert (Bob) East was published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, United Kingdom (2015) ISBN 1-4438-7058-7 In popular culture, Blue Mountains (Sydney) techno Cowpunk band Mad Cowboy Disease composed, performed and released Situation Not Normal, a song written by Rodwell, based on his ordeal.
Award-winning Filipino journalist and CEO of Rappler, Maria A. Ressa wrote at some length about the Warren Rodwell case in the 2013 international edition of her Imperial College Press - published book From Bin Laden to Facebook: 10 Days of Abduction, 10 Years of Terrorism ISBN 978-1-908979-53-7 (Refer to Pages 265 - 271) Crowdsourcing for ransom, and social media (such as, Facebook and YouTube) were used by Abu Sayyaf during negotiations. The author asserts on Page 270; "Social media is changing what was once a closed dialogue between kidnappers, their victims and governments."
In January 2015, Mindanao Examiner newspaper reported the arrest of Barahama Ali kidnap gang sub-leaders linked to the kidnapping of Warren Rodwell, who was seized by at least 5 gunmen (disguised as policemen), and eventually handed over or sold by the kidnappers to the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan province.
In May 2015, ex-Philippine National Police (PNP) officer Jun A. Malban was arrested in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia for the crime of "Kidnapping for Ransom" after Rodwell identified him as the negotiator/spokesperson of the Abu Sayyaf Group during his captivity. Further PNP investigation revealed that Malban is the cousin of Abu Sayyaf leaders Khair Mundos and his brother Borhan Mundos. (Both were arrested in 2014). The director of the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) stated that Malban's arrest resulted from close coordination by the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (Philippines) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission with the Malaysian counterparts and through Interpol.
In August 2015, Edeliza Sumbahon Ulep, alias Gina Perez, was arrested at Trento, Agusan del Sur during a joint manhunt operation by police and military units. Ulep was tagged as the ransom courier of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Zamboanga Sibugay in the kidnapping of Rodwell.
As part of the 2015 Australia Day Honours, Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel Paul Joseph Barta was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding devotion to duty as the Assistant Defence Attaché Manila during the Australian whole of government response to the Rodwell kidnap for ransom (and immediately following, the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan). At the 2015 Australian Federal Police Foundation Day award ceremony in Canberra, fourteen AFP members received the Commissioners’ Group Citation for Conspicuous Conduct for their work in support of the Philippine National Police and Australian Government efforts to release Australian man Warren Rodwell.
DeleteBy the end of his 15 months as a hostage in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Rodwell had lost about 30 kilograms in weight due to starvation, His biography 472 Days Captive of the Abu Sayyaf - The Survival of Australian Warren Rodwell by independent researcher Dr Robert (Bob) East was published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, United Kingdom (2015) ISBN 1-4438-7058-7 In popular culture, Blue Mountains (Sydney) techno Cowpunk band Mad Cowboy Disease composed, performed and released Situation Not Normal, a song written by Rodwell, based on his ordeal.
Award-winning Filipino journalist and CEO of Rappler, Maria A. Ressa wrote at some length about the Warren Rodwell case in the 2013 international edition of her Imperial College Press - published book From Bin Laden to Facebook: 10 Days of Abduction, 10 Years of Terrorism ISBN 978-1-908979-53-7 (Refer to Pages 265 - 271) Crowdsourcing for ransom, and social media (such as, Facebook and YouTube) were used by Abu Sayyaf during negotiations. The author asserts on Page 270; "Social media is changing what was once a closed dialogue between kidnappers, their victims and governments."
In January 2015, Mindanao Examiner newspaper reported the arrest of Barahama Ali kidnap gang sub-leaders linked to the kidnapping of Warren Rodwell, who was seized by at least 5 gunmen (disguised as policemen), and eventually handed over or sold by the kidnappers to the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan province.
In May 2015, ex-Philippine National Police (PNP) officer Jun A. Malban was arrested in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia for the crime of "Kidnapping for Ransom" after Rodwell identified him as the negotiator/spokesperson of the Abu Sayyaf Group during his captivity. Further PNP investigation revealed that Malban is the cousin of Abu Sayyaf leaders Khair Mundos and his brother Borhan Mundos. (Both were arrested in 2014). The director of the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) stated that Malban's arrest resulted from close coordination by the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (Philippines) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission with the Malaysian counterparts and through Interpol.
In August 2015, Edeliza Sumbahon Ulep, alias Gina Perez, was arrested at Trento, Agusan del Sur during a joint manhunt operation by police and military units. Ulep was tagged as the ransom courier of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Zamboanga Sibugay in the kidnapping of Rodwell.
Warren Rodwell – former soldier, university teacher, hostage survivor and songwriter ... is the longest held Australian captive outside war.
ReplyDeleteWarren Richard Rodwell (born June 16, 1958 Homebush NSW) grew up in Tamworth NSW Australia. He was shot through the right hand when seized from his home at Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on December 5, 2011 by Abu Sayyaf (ASG) militants. Rodwell later had to have a finger amputated.
The ASG threatened to behead Rodwell if the original ransom demand for $US2 million was not paid.Both the Philippine and Australian governments had strict policies of refusing to pay ransoms. Australia formed a multi-agency task force to assist the Philippine authorities, and liaise with Rodwell's family. A news blackout was imposed. Filipino politicians helped negotiate the release. After the payment of $AUD94,000 for "board and lodging" expenses by his siblings, Rodwell was released 472 days later on March 23, 2013. The incumbent Australian prime minister praised the Philippines government for securing Rodwell's release. Tribute was also made to Australian officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Australian Federal Police and Defence. Rodwell subsequently returned to Australia.
Former hostage Warren Rodwell slams 60 Minutes: ‘Kidnapping can never be excused’ .... By Liz Burke
ReplyDelete“Because I had been kidnapped myself, my first reaction was repulsion. The thought of trying to show kidnapping as a good thing, I thought that was atrocious and ludicrous.”
http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/former-hostage-warren-rodwell-slams-60-minutes-warren-r-rodwell
Former hostage Warren Rodwell slams 60 Minutes: ‘Kidnapping can never be excused’ .... By Liz Burke
ReplyDelete“Because I had been kidnapped myself, my first reaction was repulsion. The thought of trying to show kidnapping as a good thing, I thought that was atrocious and ludicrous.”
http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/former-hostage-warren-rodwell-slams-60-minutes-warren-r-rodwell