U.S. hostage ‘may be dead’, says military, according to accounts pieced together from other recently released hostages of the Abu Sayyaf group in the Philippines. “(They) say they are fighting for Muslim self-rule in the south of the

mainly Catholic Philippines but the group’s main pursuit has been kidnap for

ransom.

Last year, it abducted scores of people, including Western tourists from a resort

in nearby Malaysia. Local officials say the group secured about $20 million in

ransom.” CNN