Islamic Conference alarmed by the wave of kidnappings in Mindanao
The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) was alarmed by the wave of kidnappings that affects the region of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, and described the Abu Sayyaf group, linked to Al Qaeda as a criminal group.
The Egyptian Sayed El Masry, special envoy of Secretary General of OIC, Turkish Eckmeleddin Ihsanoglu, said at a news conference in Manila that abductions harm efforts to bring peace to Mindanao, the first step to begin the development of area.
A Swiss, an Italian and a Filipino member of the International Committee of the Red Cross, have since January 15, kidnapped by a commando of Abu Sayyaf on Jolo island, 980 kilometers south of Manila.
El Masry reiterated the
The Egyptian diplomat heading a delegation of four people who have reviewed the OIC in Manila with representatives of the Philippine government and Moro National Liberation Front (FMLN) implementation and compliance with the agreement that the last two signed in 1996.
The OIC believes that the FMLN is the legitimate representative of the Muslim community in the Philippines.
The armed conflict in Mindanao now keep it alive in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu Sayyaf, the first born of a split from the MNLF and the MILF second.
Abu Sayyaf, founded by a handful of veterans of the Afghan war against the Soviet Union in 1991, has in the past resorted to kidnapping to gain visibility and funding for their operations.
Tags: Al-Qaeda, Islam, Islamic Conference, kidnapping, Mindanao, Muslim world, region