On 3 May 2000 , Abu Sayyaf guerillas occupied the Malaysian dive resort island Sipadan and took 21 hostages , including 10 tourists and 11 resort workers – 19 foreign nationals in total . The hostages were taken to an Abu Sayyaf base in Jolo . Two Muslim Malaysians were released soon after . Abu Sayyaf made various demands for the release of several prisoners , including 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and $ 2.4 million . In July , a Filipino television evangelist and 12 of members of the Jesus Miracle Crusade Church offered their help and went as mediators for the relief of other hostages . They , three French television crew members and a German journalist , all visiting Abu Sayyaf on Jolo , were also taken hostage . Most hostages were released in August and September 2000 , partly due to mediation by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and an offer of $ 25 million in " development aid "
1993 World Trade Center bomber
1993 World Trade Center bombing
Abu Sayyaf