The three Indonesian fishermen - Maharudi Lunani, 48, Muhammad Farhan, 27, and Samiun Maneu, 27 - were kidnapped from a Sandakan-registered fishing trawler by seven masked gunmen travelling in two pump boats.
The gunmen fired at the crew and ordered the three fishermen to board their boat before heading towards the Tawi Tawi islands chain in southern Philippines near Sabah waters. Now the kidnapped Indonesians are being held by the Moro separatist’s Abu Sayyaf ISIS-affiliated group in a village Kabbon Maas in Indanan town, Sulu, southern Philippines. Sources reports that local terroristic group in this place initially consisted of only 10-20 persons, but during last few weeks fast growing to 50-60 armed members. Probably they were reinforced with Salip Mura group. Local police say that terrorists asked the fishermen's employer to pay the ransom by contacting the fishermen's families. Hostage crisis continues three weeks, 18 names of suspected terrorists were included into “most wanted” list, Philippine military forces prepare a rescue operation.
So, a number of trends we can observe: (1) the tendency of 2009-2019 to seize foreign hostages for ransom is enforcing; 2016-2018 trend of hostage taking on the high seas (piracy) is increasing; ransom is becoming an increasingly important way to replenishing finances and a resource for the growth of group.
