KUALA LUMPUR: Police have confirmed that the five Malaysian sailors taken from a tugboat off Lahad Datu were kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf guerilla (ASG).
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, confirming this at a press conference at the Police Training Centre in Jalan Semarak, here, today, however declined to divulge more information on the case.
"We have received confirmation that the five Malaysian sailors were taken by Abu Sayyaf.
"That is all that I can confirm as of now," he said.
It was reported that the tugboat, with a barge in tow, was on its way back to Semporna from Sandakan on Monday when it was intercepted in the bay of Dent Haven off Lahad Datu.
Security forces were alerted after the empty tugboat was found with its engine still running.
The five taken from the tugboat, Serudong 3, were Abdul Rahim Summas, 62 (from Tawau), Tayudin Anjut, 45 (Tawau), Fandy Bakran, 26 (Tawau), Mohd Jumadil Rahim, 23 (Tawau), and Mohd Ridzuan Ismail, 32 (Pahang).