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.