Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Philippine navy tries to seal off priest's kidnappers
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Philippine navy tries to seal off priest's kidnappers
AFP - Wednesday, October 14
Send
IM Story
Print
Philippine navy tries to seal off priest's kidnappers
PAGADIAN, Philippines (AFP) - – Philippine navy gunboats were deployed and road blocks set up Tuesday to block the escape route of suspected Islamic militants who abducted an elderly Irish priest, authorities said.
The dramatic efforts came as Michael Sinnott's church vowed not to pay any ransom for his release, and warned again that the 79-year-old's life was at risk because of a long history of heart problems.
Major General Ben Dolorfino, military chief for the area of the southern Philippines where Sinnott was abducted on Sunday, said authorities were trying to box in the kidnappers after they were seen with their captive on Monday.
"Our effort now is to contain them in that particular area," Dolorfino told reporters.
He said four navy gunboats had been dispatched to the Moro Gulf after intelligence operatives saw them Monday along the coast of Lanao del Sur province about 70 kilometres (43 miles) southeast from where he was abducted.
Police and military teams had also set up road blocks along highways in the area, he said.
Six armed gunmen kidnapped Sinnott from his home at the Missionary Society of Saint Columban compound in Pagadian City on Sunday night in what appeared to be a well-organised operation.
After driving him away from his home, they burnt the escape vehicle then transferred their bruised and battered captive to a motorised boat.
His abduction was the latest in a long list of kidnappings targeting foreign missionaries and tourists in the southern third of this majority Roman Catholic nation.
Most of those kidnappings have been carried out by the Abu Sayyaf militant group, listed by the United States as a terrorist organisation.
Authorities said the Abu Sayyaf may have abducted Sinnott, but they also suspect the bigger Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been fighting for an independent Muslim state in the southern Philippines since 1978.
A commander in the southern Philippines, Major General Romeo Lustestica, said on Monday he believed the abduction was a kidnap-for-ransom operation, similar to other abductions in the restive Mindano region.
The head of the Columban missionaries in the Philippines, Peter O'Donoghue, said Tuesday the church had not received calls from any group claiming responsibility, while insisting Sinnott's freedom would not be bought.
"We won't give any ransom," O'Donoghue said, citing church policy, but called on the abductors to show mercy.
"Whatever your motives are, please recognise the age and health condition of Father Sinnott and his love for needy children with disabilities. For these reasons, please release him quickly and safely."
O'Donoghue said there were deep concerns over Sinnott's health after he had quadruple heart bypass several years ago.
"He has recovered (from the surgery) but he needs constant medication," O'Donoghue said.
The Abu Sayyaf and the MILF, as well as other unnamed Muslim armed gangs, are known to operate in Lanao and other parts of Mindanao.
The 12,000-strong MILF on Tuesday denied it was behind the abduction, and said it was willing to help troops track down the kidnappers. Related article: Rebels deny priest kidnapping
"We are not involved in this," MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu told AFP.
Founded in the 1990s with seed money from Al-Qaeda, the Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for the country's worst terrorist attacks as well as kidnappings that in one case involved the beheading an American captive.
Sinnott has spent about 40 years in the Philippines, first arriving in Mindanao in 1957 as a young missionary. After a stint elsewhere, he came back to the Philippines in 1976 and never left.
Fondly called Father Mick by his flock, he is described by his colleagues as a compassionate defender of victims of injustice and a benefactor to the poor, especially children with disabilities.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
US pushes Thais to extradite suspected arms dealer AP - Wednesday, October 14
Malaysia's leader pledges to reform ruling party AP - Wednesday, October 14
UN police officer found shot dead in East Timor AP - Wednesday, October 14
Japan's ex-PM Koizumi gets a superhero role AFP - Wednesday, October 14
Michelin starry-eyed in new guide for Kyoto, Osaka AFP - Wednesday, October 14
News Search
Top Stories
Gold hits record high close to $1,064
UK 'on brink' of exiting recession: business body
Heidi Klum announces birth of fourth child
Russia, China seal trade ties with $3.5 bln in deals
Opel deal to be signed on Thursday: report
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
First woman wins Nobel Economics Prize
White House targets Fox as it goes after press critics
Britain unveils huge asset sale to cut debt
US recession over, but employment will lag: survey
Dollar facing 'power-shift': analysts
More Most Viewed »
Oldest hominid skeleton sheds light on human origins
Boyzone singer Gately dies in Spain
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Tuesday, 13 October 2009 Netanyahu: No war crimes trials for Israelis
France charges 'Big Bang' scientist with terror ties
Philips posts surprise profit as cost cuts help
Britain unveils huge asset sale to cut debt
Rentokil to use Google's Apps cloud, biggest yet
T-Mobile Sidekick U.S. users face personal data loss
Israel's Netanyahu stands by tough peace terms
Sarkozy junior embroiled in nepotism row
US recession over, but employment will lag: survey
Philips posts surprise profit as cost cuts help
Arthur Levinson quits Google board, appeasing FTC
Israel's Netanyahu stands by tough peace terms
| International
|
Report: Israel military's West Bank probe drags on
Lufthansa, Panasonic deal for in-flight Internet
Hezbollah official among dead in Lebanon blast: sources
| International
|
T-Mobile-Sidekick U.S. users face personal data loss
| Technology
|
Job data to show stimulus aided teachers, laborers
Auction house all shook up over Elvis hair
Rentokil to use Google's Apps cloud, biggest yet
| Technology
|
Trial starts in slaying of 7 at Indianapolis home
Google's Q3 set to return to growth, shares strong
| Technology
|
Risque ads: Live it up in Ky.'s 'Possibility City'
Report: North Korea fires 5 short-range missiles
Correction: Afghan-Sept 11 story
Day care next frontier in fighting kids' obesity
Summers: Bush era set stage for economic troubles
Russia's Putin in China for trade, political talks
Yale holds memorial for Le
Ostrom thanks husband, colleagues for Nobel prize
Amtrak ridership down, but still near record high
Six sentenced to death for China's Xinjiang riots
Mike Tyson on late daughter: `That's my angel'
East Timor government survives no-confidence vote
North Korea fires missiles, puzzles outside world
41 dead as suicide blast hits northwest Pakistan
Maoist rebels damage roads, rail tracks in India
China court sentences 6 to death in Xinjiang riots
OECD unemployment hits 8.6%
Pakistan may issue new Islamic license for Gulf-banker
Iran signs gas deal with South Korea firm-media
Freer trade fails to create better jobs: study
Orlando Bloom named goodwill ambassador for kids
| Entertainment
|
Orlando Bloom named goodwill ambassador for kids
Flaming Lips set secret L.A. show for Thursday
| Entertainment
|
Obama aide accuses Fox of operating as GOP arm
Nobel Prizes plagued by rumors of leaks
Polanski feels depressed in jail: lawyer
| Entertainment
|
Lauren Graham stepping into NBC's 'Parenthood'
Anger fuels US talk of secession, states rights
Syria bans smoking in public places
Late German dance legend Bausch's successors named
Orlando Bloom named UNICEF's goodwill ambassador
France tops Europe for quality of life: study
New Michael Jackson single debuts online
US-TECH Summary
Putin's party sweeps local polls, opposition alleges fraud
Hezbollah denies five killed in Lebanon blast
Genentech chairman resigns from Google board
North Korea readying to fire more missiles: report
| International
|
White House targets Fox as it goes after press critics
First woman wins Nobel Economics Prize
Japan to end Afghan refueling mission
| International
|
Google's Q3 set to return to growth, shares strong
Clinton to question Moscow on Iran
File sharing drops in Sweden after govt crackdown: association
Honduran abuses rampant after coup: rights groups
| International
|
Armenia leader to pursue thaw in Turkey visit
China, Russia bolster ties with $3.5 billion in deals
| International
|
BSkyB says to launch online music service
Tropical storm Patricia churns off Mexico's Pacific
| International
|
Business halted Iran firms on nuclear fears
Australia PM intervenes with Indonesia on asylum boats
| International
|
Chinese reveals latest in series of deaths in custody
| International
|
Australian attitudes cool towards China
China vows crackdown on industry overcapacity
Report: North Korea fires 5 short-range missiles
Poll test for India's ruling Congress party
Commuter jet makes emergency landing in Texas
North Korea to fire more missiles ahead of talks
Clinton visits Russia to discuss Iran, nuclear treaty
Texas man found asleep with corpse inside closet
NKorea agrees to hold talks with SKorea
New Indonesia stoning law is 'torture': rights group
Cambodia seeks arbitration in land dispute
NKorea fires five short-range missiles: official
Texas man found asleep with corpse in closet
Transfer to China of dissident unlawful: Hong Kong lawmaker
Insurers' warning shot has Democrats scrambling
Wash. agency assessing landslide near Naches
Pumpkin squashes competition in Calif. weigh-off
Mich. governor signs law giving farm animals room
Calif governor signs gay marriage recognition bill
Taiwan dollar firms on inflows and exporter deals
S.Korea president: world economic crisis not over
Seoul shares fall; STX tumbles, eyes on N.Korea
S.Korea bonds rise on foreign buying, weak shares
S.Korea listed firms' Q3 capex jumps to over 1-yr high
Seoul shares open down on banks; N.Korea weighs
NZ retail sales rise in Aug, rates in focus
Chinese shoe tariff extension proposed in EU
China's Hainan Airlines to begin service to Hawaii
Indonesia police confirm killed terror suspects' identities
New Michael Jackson single appears old
| Entertainment
|
US Nobel sweep points to brain drain
A big hunk o' hair -- Elvis locks go under the hammer
| Entertainment
|
Age no concern at World Masters Games
Barbra Streisand auctions off objects for charity
| Entertainment
|
Newark mayor to settle feud on 'Tonight Show'
Mamet's Oleanna a contrived look at sex harassment
| Entertainment
|
Carrie Underwood headlines Fox variety show
| Entertainment
|
Matthew Perry developing new sitcom
| Entertainment
|
Barbra Streisand auctions off objects for charity
"New" Michael Jackson single appears old
Tom Hanks hasn't forgotten Ohio theater roots
Tatum O'Neal lands Sweet deal on indie film
| Entertainment
|
Ethiopian rocker swaps prison cell for spotlight
Reno 911! stars bring comedy to NBC
| Entertainment
|
Thousands expected to visit Catholic relics in London
`Couples Retreat' takes top spot with $34.3M
Schwarzenegger signs tougher anti-paparazzi law
Iran's Karroubi faces legal action
Russia accuses Georgia of aiding Al-Qaeda
Gold hits record high close to $1,064
UK 'on brink' of exiting recession: business body
Iraqis enjoy more choice, new styles as attacks fall
Heidi Klum announces birth of fourth child
Clinton says not yet time for Iran sanctions
| International
|
Obama approves 13,000 more troops to Afghanistan
Opel deal to be signed on Thursday: report
Unemployment looms over Finnish shipyards
Russia, China seal trade ties with $3.5 bln in deals
Pakistan bombs militants in South Waziristan
| International
|
Honduras rivals to discuss Zelaya return post-coup
| International
|
Positive signs for Latin American banks: S & P
Suicide bomber kills six Iraq's Diyala province
| International
|
Hundreds of tourists evacuated in Greek forest fire
| International
|
UAE convicts U.S. man for terror funding: reports
| International
|
Fatah accepts Egypt's Palestinian unity proposal
| International
|
Afghan frustration mounts over vote result delay
| International
|
Philippine navy tries to seal off priest's kidnappers
Trading emotionally? Dutch device warns of stress
| Technology
|
Obama celebrates Spain and Hispanic music
Google's Q3 set to return to growth, shares strong
| Technology
|
Japan to end naval refueling mission
Kadeer: China death sentences will 'enrage' Uighurs
Karzai defends conduct of election in Afghanistan
East Timor govt survives no-confidence vote
CAPITAL CULTURE: In a word, they are Obama's faves
China protests Indian leader's visit to border
Vacuum cleaner icon Dyson takes aim at room fans
| Technology
|
Greedy dogfish blamed for Mass. fishery's problems
Viadeo buys Unyk, second only to LinkedIn
| Technology
|
The nation's weather
Maoists blow up comms towers, rail tracks in India
Thailand rejects widening of Cambodia border dispute
Taiwan's falling birth rate hits colleges: report
Driver of deadly Thai train crash fell asleep
Cuban spy seeks reduced 20-year sentence
Aus PM discussed immigrants amid Indonesia swoop
Calif. wildfire-area communities prepare for rain
MLK's children settle lawsuit over estate
A look at the MOP, 'massive ordnance penetrator'
JAL revamp process going 'smoothly': minister
China auto sales jump 78 percent in September
Russia, China seal trade ties with $3.5 bln in deals
Pakistani stocks end slightly higher; rupee flat
China Sept auto sales soar 77.9%
60 years on, Liza Minnelli still driven to perform
GM chief says Opel sale may come this week
BoJ mulls winding down emergency support
AIG sells Taiwan unit for $2.15 bln
Gazprom says preliminary deal struck with China
Sendak, ever-untamed, sees `Wild Things' adapted
Indonesian student suspected of aiding terrorists
Booker win boosts Tudor page-turner 'Wolf Hall'
Potter star laments end of film series
Madonna shoes offered to Gypsy charity in Romania
Keith Urban, Vince Gill host all-star concert
New details in Anna Nicole Smith case scheduled
Wild Things movie gets author Sendak's blessing
| Entertainment
|
LatAm natives protest Spanish conquest's 'genocide'
60 years on, Liza Minnelli still driven to perform
Zombieland director weighs flurry of offers
| Entertainment
|
Courtney Love closes Twitter account
| Entertainment
|
Hirst tackles painting with nod to Bacon, Richter
| Entertainment
|
Fluid on the lungs killed Boyzone singer
| Entertainment
|
China special guest at Frankfurt book fair
Banner Nobel year signals progress for women
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights