Martin Burnham slain, Gracia freed in rescue: report
Posted: 4:54 PM (Manila Time) | Jun. 07, 2002
Agence France-Presse
ZAMBOANGA – US hostage Martin Burnham was killed and his wife Gracia Burnham wounded but freed in a rescue attempt by the Philippine military on Friday, a Filipino general told Agence France-Presse. The Christian missionaries were taken hostage by Abu Sayyaf Muslim guerrillas in the southern Philippines in May last year. "Martin is dead," the general said. "Gracia has been rescued, but she is wounded," he said without elaborating.
The rescue attempt was mounted in the early afternoon near the town of Siraway on Mindanao island's Zamboanga peninsula, said the general, who asked not to be named.
The Philippine military believes that for most of their ordeal, the Burnhams were held hostage on the nearby southern island of Basilan, where US troops are helping to hunt down the Abu Sayyaf rebels.
U.S. Missionary Hostage Killed in Fighting -Source
June 07, 2002 04:51 AM ET
MANILA (Reuters) - U.S. missionary Martin Burnham was killed and his wife Gracia wounded in heavy fighting on Friday between Philippine troops and Muslim guerrillas who have held them hostage for over a year, a senior Philippine official said.
"At 2:30 this afternoon (2:30 a.m. EDT), there was fighting in Zamboanga del Norte. Martin Burnham is dead," the official, asking not to be identified, told Reuters.
"Gracia was wounded and an extrication process is underway to recover her. This is confirmed information," the official said.
He said an official announcement was expected to be made shortly.
The Burnhams have been held hostage by Muslim Abu Sayyaf guerrillas linked to Osama bin Laden since May 27 last year after they were kidnapped from a Philippine tourist resort.