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American Morning
Terrorist Group Has Been Holding American Missionaries for Nearly a Year
Aired March 08, 2002 - 07:08 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now onto the latest on the two American hostages in the Philippines, Martin and Gracia Burnham. A terrorist group has been holding the American missionaries for nearly a year. The couple is seen in a just released videotape. On the tape, which was made back in January, the Burnhams are reading a statement from Abu Sayyaf, a group that has been linked to al Qaeda.
And Mary Jones is Gracia Burnham's sister. She joins us now from Liberty Township, Ohio.
Good to see you again. Thanks for being with us this morning.
MARY JONES, GRACIA BURNHAM'S SISTER: Thanks.
ZAHN: What we'd like to do now is replay a small portion of that videotape that has just surfaced to get your reaction to what we're seeing on tape. So we're going to roll that right now and then pause for a second.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN BURNHAM: I, Martin Burnham, and my wife Gracia, both U.S. citizens, were taken as captives on May 27, 2001 at the Dos Palmos Beach Resort in Palawan and by the al-Hadak Kitul Islamia (ph) or the Abu Sayyaf group. They are targeting U.S., European...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: Mary, what did you read into what you saw on this tape?
JONES: I don't believe that the tape was filmed in January. I think that it was probably filmed last summer some time, maybe August or September would be my guess. And it's obviously scripted.
ZAHN: And as I watch your sister very carefully, she seems to be looking down at one point and then looking back up. Do you think she's trying to communicate anything special here?
JONES: No.
ZAHN: And what would be the significance of this tape having been taped much earlier than this January date that we were told? JONES: I mean I don't know what the significance would be. It's obvious that they're in much better shape at that point when that video was taken, physically.
ZAHN: Sure, and we actually have video that you believe was taped later than that which we're going to show now which clearly shows the physical deterioration both on your sister's part and your brother-in-law's part. What have you been told about their condition?
JONES: We haven't really heard anything since my husband and I returned from the Philippines at the end of January. I did receive a couple of letters from my sister. She did not comment specifically on their condition except for the fact that she was very concerned that Martin continued to lose large amounts of weight.
ZAHN: And when do you think she wrote that letter?
JONES: She had heard me do my radio broadcast on Radio Mindanao so that would have been at the end of January.
ZAHN: So there hasn't been anybody in an official capacity that can give you any more new information on their status?
JONES: No, not that I've heard since we've been home.
ZAHN: Now, the Philippine national security adviser has said that under no conditions would their government negotiate with Abu Sayyaf. What is your reaction to that announcement?
JONES: They have had terrible difficulty with the Abu Sayyaf down on Holo Island and also on Basilan and I certainly understand if the government is not interested in negotiating with terrorists.
ZAHN: I expect you were hoping a different answer, weren't you?
JONES: You know, I'm hoping my sister comes home. I've always felt confident that she would and that Martin would come home with her. But in the bigger picture of things, I think that we have to take into consideration what the government of the United States and what the government of the Philippines hold as their policies in regards to terrorism.
ZAHN: Sure. But you now have American and Philippine troops in the area where the Burnhams are reportedly being held. Has anyone given you any indication that any progress at all is being made?
JONES: We have heard that my sister and her husband are still alive. I don't know specifically what the progress has been or if there has been progress. They're keeping a pretty tight lid on things that are going on there. So I haven't heard anything new or significant since I came back from the Philippines.
ZAHN: And Mary, I know you said just a little bit earlier on that you still remain hopeful that your sister will come home some day and yet you talked about her concern that her husband has lost an awful lot of weight. What is your chief concern about both of them right now?
JONES: It's emotional. I think if they've survived physically over the last nine months that they'll continue to hang in there in that regard. I'm more concerned about their emotional well being and how that will affect them physically if they give up hope. And I hope that they won't. That was one of the purposes that my husband and I had in going to the Philippines was to try to get in contact with her in some respect to let her know that we're trying to help them and that we love them and to give them hope, I guess.
ZAHN: Well, we appreciate your joining us at such a difficult time for your family.
Mary Jones, thank you very much for your time this morning and good luck to all of you.
JONES: Thanks. Thank you.
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