January 25, 2002, AFP, Chronology of Philippines hostage crisis,

January 25, 2002, AFP, Chronology of Philippines hostage crisis,

MANILA, Jan 25 (AFP) -

A chronology of the Abu Sayyaf hostage crisis in the southern Philippines which enters its ninth month this weekend. An American couple and a Filipino nurse are the last of hostages in captivity of the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas following a kidnapping spree that began on May 27 last year.

May 27, 2001: Abu Sayyaf gunmen raid the Dos Palmas resort off the western Philippine island of Palawan and seize 20 hostages, including three Americans -- missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham from Kansas and Peru-born Californian, Guillermo Sobero.

President Gloria Arroyo rules out paying any ransom and unleashes the military against the kidnappers.

June 2: An Abu Sayyaf group takes over a hospital on Basilan island and abducts hospital staff. Nine of the original captives escape, but two others are killed as the rebels break out of a military cordon the following day.

June 7: Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya threatens to behead the American captives unless Malaysian negotiators are brought in. Arroyo rejects the demand.

June 11: Fifteen more Filipinos are kidnapped in Basilan.

June 12: Abu Sabaya announces his group has beheaded US hostage Sobero and later peddles video footage of his supposed execution, but gets no takers.

June 16: Two Filipino hostages are freed. They say Sobero was separated from the group and was believed executed.

June 23: The headless bodies of two Filipino hostages and the bodies of two unidentified Filipinos are found.

June 29: Arroyo announces she has formally asked the US government to help track down the Abu Sayyaf with their surveillance expertise.

July 3: Two Filipino hostages are freed allegedly in exchange for ransom.

July 13: At least 100 suspected sympathisers of Abu Sayyaf kidnappers are arrested in a major crackdown.

Aug 3: Thirty-five Filipinos are abducted in Basilan. Ten were later beheaded, while the rest escaped or were released later.

Aug 24: Congress investigates allegations certain military officials colluded with the Abu Sayyaf to allow their escape from the hospital siege. The probe later ends inconclusively.

Sept 24: US President George W. Bush seeks a global freeze of Abu Sayyaf assets, putting the rebel group on a blacklist with suspected links to Osama bin Laden, the main suspect in the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Oct 5: Skeletal remains believed to be that of Californian Guillermo Sobero are found. US forensics experts five days later confirm the remains were Sobero's.

Oct 12: Three Filipino farm workers escape. Four others escape days later.

Oct 28: US counter-terrorism experts arrive in southern Philippines to advise local armed forces against the Abu Sayyaf. A powerful bomb, allegedly planted by the Abu Sayyaf, explodes at a packed open-air restaurant, killing at least five people and injuring scores of others.

Nov 4: A Filipino hostage is recovered.

Nov 14: Admiral Dennis Blair, the commander of the US Pacific forces, visits southern Philippines and vows military support against the Abu Sayyaf.

Nov 15: Seven Filipino hostages are recovered, leaving the Burnham couple and another Filipino still in Abu Sayyaf hands.

Nov 20: President Gloria Arroyo meets US President Bush in Washington. Bush offers to send US troops to help fight the Abu Sayyaf. Arroyo says local troops need assistance in equipment and training but can fight themselves.

Dec 7: Fifteen US military advisers arrive in the south, assess training and assistance for Philippine troops hunting the Abu Sayyaf.

Dec 31: US Congressman Todd Tiahrt from Kansas, home of the Burnhams, visits the southern Philippines in an attempt to secure the release of the two.

Jan 7, 2002: Southern Philippine regional military Lieutenant General Roy Cimatu suggests holding joint US-Philippine war games in the south, including joint operations against the Abu Sayyaf. Arroyo endorses proposal.

Jan 10: First batch of fresh US military advisers arrive in the southern Philippines to train local troops to fight the Abu Sayyaf.

Jan 15: Joint US-Philippine military operations begin in the southern Philippines with a slow build-up in the American military presence. Eventually some 660 US troops will take part in the operations to last till mid-June.

Jan 23: President Gloria Arroyo wins the support of top officials for her decision to allow US soldiers to join the anti-Abu Sayyaf campaign.