Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta-based International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) has denounced the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf group for taking 10 Indonesians hostage in the South Philippines and demanding a 50 million Pesos ransom, or some Rp14.3 billion.
"Such acts are not true to Islam and violate the international law," the Scholars groups Secretary General K.H. Hasyim Muzadi told reporters here on Friday.
Muzadi also sought the unconditional and immediate release of the 10 Indonesian crew members.
The secretary general also called on the most influential leader of the Moro group in the Philippines to apply pressure on Abu Sayyaf to free the hostages.
The release of the hostages is important, given the sound diplomatic relations between the ICIS and Nur Misuari, which had created a bridge to reduce tensions between the Misuari group and the Philippines government in the past.
Muzadi hoped that Misuari would understand the neutral stance of ICIS in the Muslim world and the international community at large.
As a result, Taliban figures in Afghanistan had decided to free a group of South Korean journalists who were taken hostage in Afghanistan a few years ago on the request of ICIS.
Besides this, the Government of Iran, under the reign of Ahmadinnejad, was willing to grant amnesty to Indonesian nationals who were detained in Iran for being part of the crew of an American-flagged ship that had entered the countrys territory.
"I believe that this appeal will be considered by brother Misuari, for the sake of sound relations and the ASEAN Muslim brotherhood," Muzadi emphasized.
Earlier, 10 Indonesian crew members of the Brahma 12 waveguide ship with its coal cargo were taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group in the Philippine waters on March 26.
The Abu Sayyaf group has demanded a ransom for the release of the 10 Indonesian hostages, who are now held in the interior of Sulu Island.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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