Two German tourists
kidnapped by Islamists in the Philippines on Monday appealed to
the German government to make "every effort" to free them.
The Abu Sayyaf group has demanded that the German
government stop supporting US action against Islamic State
(ISIS) in Iraq and Syria and wants a ransom paid for the
captives.
It says it will behead one of them if the demands are not
met by 10 October.
"Hopefully, our government will do all they can to get me
free," a male captive, who identified himself as a medical
doctor, told a radio station based in Zamboanga City.
"We were sailing on our sailboat and unfortunately I was
taken hostage," he said, adding that he was concerned for his
health.
According to media reports, the two Germans were seized at
gunpoint from a yacht between Malaysian Borneo and the southern
Philippines in April.
They have previously been identified by Philippine military
officials as Stefan Okonek, a doctor in his early 70s, and
Henrike Dielen, in her mid-50s.
In the radio broadcast, a female captive appealed to the
authorities to get them out soon, saying that "living in the
jungle is also very dangerous because we can contract any
tropical disease".
"I would also like to address the Philippine and German
governments to do all they can because we are living in a
difficult situation," she said.
"I really wish to see my family again...The situation here
is very, very stressful."
Abu Sayyaf rose to prominence in the early 2000s by
kidnapping foreigners.
It has links with al-Qaida, although analysts and
Philippine security sources say it has recently focused on
obtaining ransoms and other criminal activities.
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