KL man writing book on hostage crisis

KL man writing book on hostage crisis

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): A well-connected Malaysian businessman who helped negotiate the release of hostages held by Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines said on Wednesday he is writing a book that will "expose the secrets and lies" surrounding the crisis.

Yusof Hamdan, 50, claimed he made secret tape recordings of conversations which would implicate some Philippine government officials of deliberately hampering negotiations and trying to hog a percentage of ransom money for themselves.

Yusof said the Abu Sayyaf separatists, who reportedly received US$15 million in ransom for 20 of 21 mostly foreign hostages kidnapped last April from Malaysia's Sipadan diving resort, were initially more interested in highlighting their rebellion than receiving a ransom.

"This book will hit out at the real bad guys who manipulated the situation for their own benefit," Yusof said, but he refused to immediately name the Philippine officials whom he accused of wrongdoing.

He said his tome, tentatively titled The Truth Behind Sipadan, was 50 percent ready. He claimed he was in final negotiations with an U.S.-based firm to publish the book.