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Breaking News

Philippines Hostages: Torso Recovered; No Identification Made

Aired June 12, 2001 - 10:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: First, though, we have breaking news about an American hostage in the Philippines and with that we go to Jeanne Meserve in Washington -- Jeanne?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, this news coming to us from CNN's Andrea Koppel at the State Department.

Senior officials at the State Department telling here that Philippine officials have found a human torso in the area of the Philippines where Muslim rebels claim to have executed, beheaded an American tourist. They have found the torso but they have not found the head and so they cannot confirm whether or not this is Guillermo Sobero, a 40-year-old American from Corona, California.

He was kidnapped May 27 in the Philippines from an island resort and has been held ever since. Senior State Department officials telling Andrea Koppel that they are unable to confirm whether or not this man has been executed. They do find the claims credible, but they say that this Muslim group has made similar claims in the past and they have turned out to be untrue.

So once again, senior State Department officials telling Andrea Koppel that a human torso has been found by Philippine officials in the area of the Philippines where this man is claimed to have been beheaded. They have not found the head. They do not know for sure if it is him. They cannot confirm that -- Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: All right, Jeanne Meserve in Washington with the latest. We'll continue to track that story.

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