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Reuters file
Kidnapped victims Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, left, and her son Kevin Eric Lunsmann, are seen together with Gerfa's unidentified husband in a family photo shown by police to reporters in Zamboanga city in the southern Philippines July 12, 2011.
MANILA, Philippines -- A 14-year-old American boy who was abducted with his mother and cousin by suspected Muslim militants in the southern Philippines was released Saturday from five months of jungle captivity, the Philippine military said.
The boy, Kevin Lunsmann, was recovered by a village official in Lamitan town on southern Basilan Island, a stronghold of the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels, who are believed to be behind the kidnapping, said military spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang.
He is now safe in military custody, Cabangbang said, without offering other details.
The boy's Filipino-American mother, Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, was freed two months ago after she was dropped off by boat at a wharf on Basilan. Their Filipino cousin, Romnick Jakaria, dashed to freedom last month when special Philippine army forces managed to get near an Abu Sayyaf camp in the mountains of Basilan.
They were believed to be held for ransom, but Cabangbang did not say Saturday whether any was paid.
The U.S. Embassy was closed for the weekend and a spokesperson did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The three were vacationing with relatives on an island near Zamboanga city when they were snatched July 12 and taken by boat to nearby Basilan. The captors then called the family in Campbell County, Virginia, to demand a ransom.
The U.S. and Philippine governments did not pay any ransom for the mother's release, Interior Secretary Jessie Robredo said in October, adding that he was unaware whether any private group did.
Ransom kidnappings have long been a problem in the impoverished region and are blamed mostly on the Abu Sayyaf, a group on a list of U.S. terrorist organizations and notorious for beheadings and bombings over the past two decades.
Its stated goal has been the establishment of an Islamic state in the southern Philippines, home to minority Muslims in the predominantly Christian nation.
The Abu Sayyaf was founded on Basilan in the 1990s as an offshoot of a violent Muslim insurgency that has been raging for decades.
Hundreds of U.S. troops have been stationed in the southern Philippines, including Basilan, to train and equip Philippine forces but are prohibited from engaging in local combat.
On Monday, suspected militants abducted Australian Warren Richard Rodwell, 53, from his seaside house in Zamboanga Sibugay province, near Basilan, but it was not immediately confirmed if they also belonged to the Abu Sayyaf.
The militants are also holding an Indian, a Malaysian and a Japanese.
Associated Press writer Teresa Cerojano contributed to this report.
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Cowards!!! Kidnapping innocent people!! They will pay!!
Especially a 14 yro.
And what do you call the million plus innocent civilians America killed for oil and under false pretenses, lies?
What oil? you idiot!
That's not terrorism, that's called the War on Terrorism....
Remember; you've got to be poor to be called a terrorist...the rich are "freedom fighters" or the people who control the media (like the U$...)
Don't tell me that Joe is Jose Jalapeño from Maricopa county Arizona, where racism shines, thanks to stupid people like the Joes of the world, 24/7. And what's up with so many racists, tea partiers named Joe. You should change your name. You remind me of that darling of tea partiers, McShame groupie, Joe the plumber and he wasn't none of what he said he was. And why idiocy seems to affect only the radical right? Inquiring minds want to know.
Good news is good news.
Paying ransom gives the militants a reason to kidnap, so why give ransoms? Set an example and take a few militants out.
Actually, they have taken out hundreds of militants, especially over the past few years. They carried out a daily bombing campaign for months - maybe like a year ago - on Jolo Island killing hundreds of Abu Sayaaf.
It's tricky, but you're right. They should never pay ransom, but it's usually the families who arrange that, and you can't really blame them. The biggest problem is the corruption in the country. It chokes out growth and gives these militants supporters. The militants have the blame for this, but the national and local government also should take responsibility for their part in leaving the Philippines in this condition. It's a nation rich in natural resources, rich with beautiful people, and yet it is a breeding ground for terrorism.
A couple of well place big boys and we would not have to worry about any militants anymore.
If this was our policy worldwide and we worried not about the poor hostages it would not take long for them to figure out that this type of behavior is a certain death sentence and I believe this type chit would cease entirely. If it did not the world would soon run out of hoodlums to take hostages.
We have alot of Special Forces their for "training". Training does go on, but you know. Sometimes, you have to defend yourself. We also provide them weapons, helicopters, and equipment (like night vision goggles).
The Abu Sayaaf was relentlessly bombing and kidknapping. So, the Armed Forces of the Philippines did some relentless bombing of their own. Hundreds have been killed, but in a nation of poverty and corruption, there will always be new terrorists.
This is great news.
Maybe all of the Christains need to "Clean House"! Sick of hearing about this crap. When will people wake up and see that this is a world war.
If the world could just somehow get rid of Christianity AND Islam, gosh... we would ALL be so much better off! Easily the two most violent and intrusive, proselytizing, convert-or-die religions mankind has ever dreamed up... each worshipping the same imaginary god and spending all their time fighting each other (and the Jews) about it.
Really? Tell that to people who lived under Mao Zedung (estimated deaths range between 49 million and 78 million), Joseph Stalin (estimated 20-30 million dead), and Pol Pot (almost 2 million dead). Those were all communist regimes who were were anti-religion. These numbers dwarf all of the other genocides in the twentieth century. Hitler (responsible for 12 million deaths) was really more into the occult. While I can grant that he was probably not an atheist, you can't tag Christianity or Islam on him. Anyway, if you want to try to place blame on Christianity and Islam for being the most violent, proselytizing, convert-or-die, you are plain wrong. The is one that towers above all in those categories, and his name is Karl Marx.
You stated it perfectly Chad, we are so worried about Islam that we forget about the the ignorant savages in our own land trying to force their views on us.
I don't care who tries to force their views on me. I can just tell them to go screw. It's another thing when somebody puts a gun to someone's head and drags them into the woods and whacks their head off.
Which would you prefer?
You cant kill ignorance, even if it is religion.
Religion is not the problem...it's us humans that have the problem.
Just eliminate ALL religion...the #1 cause of wars over the last few thousand years....
"Join OUR religion OR ELSE".....
What do you call the Crusades, what we did to the American Indians, every time we've "helped" another country in a war, all the puppet governments we've set up over the last 70 years or so, etc.....
You might want to investigate the human animal.Thevast majority of people thru the vast majority of time have been religious.Might as well suggest the world do without families,or meat eating
And the vast majority of people through the vast majority of time have also believed the world was flat. Didn't make 'em right, just made 'em the majority.
if you are going to kidnap people for ransom, it would be wise to first find out if they are wealthy. kidnapping non wealthy people for ransom is stupid. and why would you kidnap a 14 year old? the poorest people on the planet are children
Tell that to Mexico, the rich steal all the money so the poor kidnap them and ransom them back just to put a meal on their table.
Be careful of what you wish for, you may get all the money and lose your security.
@ceaandtee
It's because he has parents from the U.S. They think everybody is rich here.
And we have corruption in our country too and we elected them, both democrats and republicans. It looks like we will have Obama on one side and either Newt or Mitt on the other. We are so screwed!
The U.s. is no where near as corrupt as the Philippines. Almost everyone with ANY kind of authority is on the take.
Just like here...
a2phil
Really? When was the last time you had to go down to the post office and bribe someone to get your mail?
Seems that this story will ultimately have a reasonably happy ending... glad to read that. What a horrific experience for anyone to endure, let alone a 14-year-old. And for the poor mother to have been forcibly separated from her child... just very glad to hear they're both alive and now in good hands.
keep him
Fantastic news! However, I can't help but wonder who would vacation in an area known for kidnappings?
You could if you had family there who you love and you knew they couldn't move away.
Also, don't get the idea that this happens every day. It's a peaceful, nice place, and then all of the sudden, it just happens. It's like September 11. We know that someone could blow up a train, plane building, whatever, but we can't just stop our lives for it.
Lucky kid. The 14 year old imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay was never released.
The 14 year old imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay was a trained, bred, terrorist who tried to kill coalition and US troops. Are you seriously comparing the two or just blowing wind?
The 14 year old "terrorist" hasn't been tried yet...
Oh, I forgot, this is America, the land of the rich, and the home of the enslaved...you're guilty until proven innocent....and being in Gitmo, HE isn't getting a trial...
Poor people are "terrorists", rich people are "patriots"....
Really? Is everyone seriously over looking the fact that the military officer that was quoted is named Col. Ca-bang-bang!
That's actually a common sound to the language. It is funny, but in the Philippines it's normally. A common nickname for a guy is Bong. How about that?
Sounds like something you'd hear in The Onion...
Don't no how he has been gone for 5 month and this is first news of it glad hes freed , and love that CoLs name Cabangbang , ya think that real hahaha !!!!!
people who think Religion is the problem and not mental cases who USE Religion as a Tool for their own personal lack or for POWER are just plain stupid. Because you are not Religious or believe in God does not mean there is no God. Just because you hear some crazy person saying they did something in the name of Jesus doesnt mean they really did it IN THE NAME OF JESUS. Jesus taught his people to not be involved in politics and to let the world run its natural course because its going to anyway. He also taught them to respect the beliefs of others by saying to tell them your beliefs but if they do not hear you "Shake the dust off your feet and leave that town" Yet people seem to forget that or never read it and get a little Jesus in them and without really taking it to heart use it as a means for personal gain on one way or another. That is NOT a Christain!!
I cannot stress that enough. The problem is that those who think the problem is religion do not know anything about it themselves to know that the real problem is PEOPLE WANTING POWER OR THEIR OWN WAY.
If you knew more about what Jesus actually taught you would stop calling those who do vile things Christains. Because Jesus is who says what a Christain is. These imposters are not Christains according to the book of sayings of the God/Man they profess to believe in. He ALWAYS taught his people non violence.
Well, I guess a good 90% of the world's population isn't "Christian"...of course you could say the same about Islam....
Michael LEIN - Your in the right area but your a bit off the mark in what you are trying to say. Starting with the issue of Christian versus Muslim. These terrorist are Muslim Extremist that only view things from one perspective and believe anyone that is not Muslim or refuses to convert is an infidel and should die. I understand what you were trying to say but while you may believe you have an understanding of Christianity you need a better understanding of the Muslim belief, which by the way is not a way of violence but of tolerance and peace.
I know many people who would say I am dark and have gotten darker over the years in my views. They may be correct, most likely are anyway. I believe there will be a better world someday, almost all religions share common themes and beliefs and peace and tolerance are a tenants of all of them. I also understand and believe that I will never live in that world. There is no place for me even though I have played a part in making it possible. Terrorist have no place in that world either and I and others like me are the ones that will need to remove them from the equation so that world can exist.
The fight between Terrorist and the Western countries and more specifically the United States is not based in religion although that is what the terrorist want everyone to believe. That fact that most of them can not read beyond the 3rd grade level is why many of them can so easily be manipulated. Make no mistake about it, they are being manipulated by con men who want to be the ones in charge. These con men are like cartel leaders. Because of these things we must kill the terrorist and insurgents. For a religion and belief that so greatly pushes the term "In shala", meaning God Willing, they are very impatient and impudent and willing to sacrifice everyone except themselves in order to be in charge.
It also has at least a little to do with how the West (mostly the U.$, who else??) SCREWED THEM OVER THE LAST 70 YEARS OR SO!!!
It's called "puppet governments"....that's how we had cheap gas for 70 odd years...
hey folks let's adopt American orphans.that way we don't have to worry about Americans in the friggin holes of the world. Js husband
This terrorist asking for ransom are the lowest evolving human beings. LAzy bit*ches.
Ilike happy endings. Good job guys!!