June 11, 2001, Sun Star, Abu Sayyaf burns church seizes more hostages,

June 11, 2001, Sun Star, Abu Sayyaf burns church seizes more hostages,

LAMITAN -- Abu Sayyaf guerrillas holding 13 hostages including three Americans seized at least two new captives and burned a Christian church in a raid on the southern island of Basilan early Monday, police said.  

The rebels raided the village of Pairan near Tuburan town and seized at least two unidentified hostages, Police Superintendent Achmadul Pangambayan told reporters, adding that one chapel was set on fire. 

Radio Mindanao Network reported from Basilan that Abu Sayyaf gunmen raided a coconut plantation and seized at least one farm worker after a gunfight with the plantation's security guards. 

Brigadier General Edilberto Adan, a military spokesman, said in Manila that he could not confirm the report. But he said such attacks could be described as "diversionary operations to split our forces" in Basilan. 

Abu Sayyaf gunmen, who say they are fighting for an independent Islamic state, seized the three Americans and 17 other people from Dos Palmas resort on Arrecife island off Palawan on May 27 and took them to Basilan. Nine Filipino hostages escaped last Saturday amid a military offensive, including one man with a knife wound on the neck. But the gunmen executed two other Filipino captives and later seized two nurses, a midwife and a clerk from a hospital in Lamitan on Basilan. (AFP)