RP rebels refuse to swap U.S. hostage for their leader

RP rebels refuse to swap U.S. hostage for their leader

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Agencies): Rebels refused Tuesday to
swap an American hostage being held in a southern Philippine
jungle for a suspected senior guerrilla arrested on kidnapping
charges.

Police said Monday they had arrested a 73-year-old man
suspected of being an Abu Sayyaf rebel and accused him of taking
part in kidnappings on the island of Basilan.

Rebel spokesman Abu Sabaya identified the man as his
grandfather, but refused to exchange him for American hostage
Jeffrey Schilling, who was kidnapped by the rebels a week ago.

The rebels will not release Schilling for "even 10, even 100
of my grandfathers," Sabaya said.

"The government should stop dreaming of a hostage swap," he
said in an interview with the Radio Mindanao Network.

The rebels have insisted that the arrested man, Ahmad Opao, be
freed before they begin talks for Schilling's release.

Schilling was taken hostage Aug. 28 when he visited the Abu
Sayyaf's camp on Jolo, about 940 kilometers south of Manila. The
rebels kidnapped him after he angered them in a debate about
religion and politics, a newspaper reported Sunday. The group
says it is seeking an independent Islamic state in the mainly
Roman Catholic Philippines.

The Abu Sayyaf also is holding six Europeans -- four from a
group of people abducted April 23 from a Malaysian diving resort
and two French journalists -- and 12 Filipino Christian
evangelists who came to pray for the hostages in early July.

Officials hope the six Europeans will be freed later this week
following the return Tuesday of Libyan negotiator Rajab Azzarouq,
who is leading talks for their release.

Libya reportedly paid US$6 million for the release last week
of six other foreigners.

Libyan negotiator who recently secured the release of several
Western hostages from rebels returned to the Philippines on
Tuesday and said more could soon be freed.

Rajab Azzarouq flew into Manila from Tripoli where he had
accompanied six Europeans freed last week by Abu Sayyaf rebels
based in the southern Philippines.

He was in Tripoli for a ceremonial handover of those released
to their governments.

"We are happy to be back...hopefully in the next few days all
the hostages would be released," the former Libyan ambassador to
the Philippines told reporters.

Azzarouq said he would be working for the release of six
Europeans and a Filipino being held by the rebels for months. But
added he was also willing to intercede for an American kidnapped
by rebels last week.

However, he said neither the Philippines nor the U.S.
government had asked him to negotiate for the release of
Schilling.

All of the hostages are being held in jungle camps on Jolo.
Schilling, 24, from Oakland, California, is being kept in a
tightly guarded bamboo hut with his feet tied as a result of an
escape attempt, an emissary said Monday. Earlier, his hands had
been tied instead.

He has ended a hunger strike, the emissary said.
Schilling's mother, Carol, said he converted to Islam in 1994 and
has been living in Zamboanga since March with a Muslim Filipino
woman, Ivi Osani. The couple was married in a Muslim ceremony.

Osani, who is Sabaya's second cousin and the widow of another
rebel, said she and Schilling were invited by Sabaya to visit the
Abu Sayyaf camp.

On Monday, the rebels rejected the government's choice of a
local official to negotiate for Schilling's freedom and demanded
a national government official instead.

Government officials said they will not replace Munib Estino,
vice governor of Sulu province, where Jolo is located.

"It is not for them to determine who the negotiators for the
government are going to be," said presidential Executive
Secretary Ronaldo Zamora. "If they don't want to negotiate, then
there will be no negotiations."

Zamora said Schilling was apparently responsible for his own
capture.