U.S. hostages alive, more troops sent

U.S. hostages alive, more troops sent

MANILA (AFP): An American couple and 16 other hostages held by
Abu Sayyaf gunmen are still alive in the jungles of Basilan
island in the southern Philippines, the military said on
Thursday.

Intelligence reports indicate that the rebels are holding
Christian missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and 16 Filipinos
in Tuburan, a jungle-clad town in Basilan, armed forces spokesman
Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan told reporters.

Adan told reporters that the hostages' health could be
deteriorating in Basilan's rugged terrain, where malaria is
endemic and drinking water is hard to come by.

Adan said 1,000 troops have been sent to Basilan to augment
5,000 working to rescue the captives and crush the Abu Sayyaf, a
rag-tag group of self-styled Islamic fighters believed to have
once received aid from international terror suspect Osama bin
Laden.