News
Gunmen attack diving resort on Malaysian island
A policeman was killed and a second kidnapped after heavily armed gunmen opened fire at a diving resort off Malaysia’s Borneo island, a security official said on Sunday.
A massive manhunt has been launched to track down the criminals believed to have come “from a neighbouring country,” said Abdul Rashid Harun, head of Sabah state eastern security zone.
One security official said that the criminals are believed to be Sulu gunmen from the Philippines.
Describing the deadly incident that happened late on Saturday, Abdul Rashid said a police outpost guarding a resort in Mabul island was ambushed by at least six to eight masked gunmen wearing black t-shirts and military trousers.
“The group of heavily armed gunmen shot and killed a 32-year-old policeman and kidnapped another personnel member. They escaped in a boat into neighbouring waters. We have launched a security operation to track down the criminals,” he said.
Malaysia this week revamped security measures in the region after a spate of abductions in Sabah state, including the ransoming of Chinese tourists by gunmen based in the southern Philippines.
Abdul Rashid said the attack on the policemen could have been in retaliation for the ongoing security clampdown against criminal activity in the area.
The area is notorious for human trafficking, smuggling of drugs and subsidised diesel oil from Malaysia.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was in Sabah on Saturday, announced that a “mother ship” equipped with fast boats would be deployed near Philippines waters to fight cross-border crime.
A security zone was set up last year after Islamic guerillas of Sulu origin from the southern Philippines staged a bloody assault in the area leaving dozens dead, including security forces.
Abu Sayyaf, which is believed to be affiliated with Al-Qaeda, has been blamed for a spate of terror attacks and kidnappings, mostly in the Philippines.
The group was also blamed for the abduction of 21 people -several of them foreign tourists – from a Sabah diving resort in 2000.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
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