Kidnap victims will arrive in KL today
KUALA LUMPUR: Two of five victims kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group who were rescued by the Philippines’s security forces on Thursday, are expected to arrive here today.
Without revealing the place and time of their arrival, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said their statements would be recorded on the case.
“They are in Manila currently with the authorities there and will arrive in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow (Sunday),” said Khalid, who declined to elaborate further.
Khalid said this after attending the 210th Police Day Commemoration Parade at the Police Training Centre yesterday.
Earlier the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) said it is working with the 1Malaysia Putera Club to quickly bring home the two Malaysian kidnap victims.
In a statement, Wisma Putra said the two kidnap victims, Abd Rahim Summas and Tayudin Anjut, would be flown to Manila on a Philippine Air Force mercy flight before being brought back to Malaysia.
“The Malaysian Embassy in Manila will extend the appropriate assistance upon their arrival in Manila,” the statement said.
The ministry also said the Malaysian government had expressed its deepest appreciation to the government of the Philippines on their effort in rescuing the two victims.
Early on Thursday morning, Abdul Rahim Summas, 62, and Tayudin Anjut, 45, crew members of the tugboat Serudong Tiga who were kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf terrorists in the waters of Dent Haven in Lahad Datu on July 18, were rescued by the Philippines’ security forces in the southern part of the republic.
However, the status of three other kidnap victims, namely, Fandy Bakran, 26; Mohd Ridzuan Ismail, 32 and Mohamad Jumadil Rahim, 23, who were also crew members of Serudong Tiga, is still unknown.
On Friday, the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) confirmed that the two kidnap victims were rescued by the security forces of the Philippines in an operation in the southern part of the republic.
Prior to this, the foreign media reported that the two victims, in a weak state and sickly, were rescued by a Philippine Marine boat in the waters of Pulau Pata in the southern Philippines.
In another development, when asked to comment on developments on the killing of Kim Jong-nam, Khalid said investigations were still ongoing.
“To date, no fresh developments, we are still hunting for three more suspects who are believed to be holed up in the North Korean Embassy here.
“We urge them (Jong-nam murder suspects) to give themselves up and cooperate with the police in the investigation,” said Khalid.
The three individuals who are believed to be still holed up at the North Korean Embassy are Hyon Kwang-song, 44, and staff of Air Koryo, Kim Uk-il, 37, and Ri Ji-u, 30, who was also known as James.
Jong-nam was murdered at the KL International Airport 2 while waiting for a flight to Macau on Feb 13. - Bernama