Hundreds deploy for kidnapped Swiss man in Philippines

Author: 
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
Publication Date: 
Wed, 2010-04-07 07:04

Troops erected road blocks and fanned out across the southern Zamboanga peninsula after gunmen forcibly took Carl Rieth, 72, from his beach-front home Sunday night, army spokesman Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos said.
"For the purpose of pursuing the kidnappers, more than 500 (soldiers) are actually committed (to) this," Burgos told reporters in Manila.
He said soldiers were backed by police commandos and a marine patrol unit tasked to scour islands near the peninsula where Islamic militants are known to operate.
Regional military chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino said troops had received information as to the whereabouts of Rieth but declined to disclose details.
Filipino authorities initially gave the victim's name as Charles Reith, but the Swiss embassy in Manila said in a statement e-mailed to AFP Tuesday his name was Carl Rieth.
After conflicting reports from Filipino officials, the embassy also clarified that Rieth was a Swiss national, although he had Philippine citizenship because his mother was Filipino.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, although police said Monday the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group was a top suspect.
The Abu Sayyaf is on the US government's list of wanted foreign terrorist organizations and is blamed for the country's worst terrorist attacks, as well as a host of kidnappings for ransom in the southern Philippines.
Rieth's friends Tuesday aired emotional appeals for his release, saying his health was very fragile.
"He has been sickly. We are appealing on the kidnappers to take immediate care of him and then freeRieth," said Al Alhabshi, a close friend and a business associate.
"He is suffering from pneumonia and is still recovering from a mild stroke two months ago," Alhabshi told AFP. "He needs his maintenance medicines." Local city mayor Celso Lobregat said Rieth had no known enemies and was well-liked in Zamboanga's business circles.
He said Rieth was born and grew up in Zamboanga, and was as much a Filipino as he is Swiss.
"We all want him back well and safe," he said.

Taxonomy upgrade extras: