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Rebels Kill Two Jehovah's Witnesses We must pray for the families
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Posted by: JG
JOLO, Philippines (AP) - Muslim rebels linked to al-Qaida beheaded at least two of the six Jehovah's Witnesses they kidnapped in the southern Philippines, a top army commander said Thursday.
Rebels Kill Two Jehovah's Witnesses
Wed Aug 21, 9:52 PM ET
By ZENY MASONG, Associated Press Writer
The heads of the two male hostages were found in an open air market in Jolo town along with notes calling for a holy war, said Brig. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, commander of the army on the southern island of Jolo.
Tuesday's abductions demonstrated that the Abu Sayyaf rebels remain dangerous despite a U.S.-backed military offensive aimed at wiping out the group. They came as a blow to the Philippine government, which had said just weeks ago it was shifting some resources away from the war on Abu Sayyaf because the group had been decimated and was on the run.
Officials had warned, however, the group could not be written off. They noted at least eight top leaders were at large and said it would be a daunting task to boost the economy of the Muslim-dominated southern Philippines, where harsh poverty fuels anti-government sentiment.
The kidnapping on the troubled southern island of Jolo was the first by Abu Sayyaf guerrillas since American soldiers arrived in February on a six-month mission to train Filipino troops in counterterrorism tactics. It was the first U.S. operation outside the Afghanistan ( news - web sites) front in Washington's war on international terrorist groups.
The two men were seized with four women, all Filipino, as the group sold Avon cosmetics and visited homes around the town of Patikul in the south of the predominantly southern island of Jolo.
Officials identified the two dead men as Lemuel Bantolo and Leonel Mantic. They said Mantic's 23-year-old wife was among the other captives.
Tolentino said notes were attached to the remains referring to "infidels" and spoke of a holy war, or "jihad."
Posted by: pickone
I was unable to read this article in completion. I just kept seeing our children slaughtered for doing what they thought was right.
Father, in the Name of Jesus, I ask that You would help us all to remember that our war is not against flesh and blood. I pray for safety for all of the children in the world.
Please let us stop killing each other with our weapons and our words.
Amen. 