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American Morning

Missionary Discusses Death of Martin Burnham

Aired June 07, 2002 - 09:09   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to get back now to that tragic story of an engagement in the Philippines.

Scott Ross has more.

How did the news come your way earlier today?

SCOTT ROSS, NEW TRIBES MISSION: I received a call about 4:00 this morning from the Philippines indicating there had been some sort of military engagement and that, as a result of that engagement, Martin Burnham had been killed, Deborah Yap had been killed, and Gracia had been wounded.

HEMMER: What did they inform you about the way the raid went down?

ROSS: We don't know, really, many of the facts about the raid. We have a team that's been working in the Philippines since the time of the kidnapping, and they're still trying to find out the details from the U.S. Embassy. We've be in contact with the FBI in Virginia as well. And we're trying to figure that out.

HEMMER: You had a team in the Philippines and still do?

ROSS: There's been six of us working round the clock on this kidnapping, three of us here in the United States and three in the Philippines at headquarters there.

HEMMER: I know earlier today, about 35 minutes ago, we were listening to you talk to reporters there. You say it is still not clear what happened there. But you also indicated there were more than at least two casualties, casualties on both sides, which would indicate to me, anyway, that some Philippine soldiers lost the lives and so, too, did some soldiers on the Abu Sayyaf group. What more did they inform you about then?

ROSS: I was just on the phone with a Philippines just a couple of minutes ago. And the reports are really pretty scattered right now, the most recent report coming out of the area that, in fact, no ASP were lost at all, but some Philippine military soldiers were killed. The fighting is sporadic and still going on. It's really hard to get clear details.

HEMMER: Have you or anyone on your team still operating in the Philippines had any contact with Gracia?

ROSS: We have not at this point. We are attempting to get Gracia's sister, who is a missionary, with us out in the Philippines to be reunited with Gracia at this point. None of us have been able to talk with Gracia.

HEMMER: Over the year that this has taken place, was there any communication that had been passed along to the Burnhams?

ROSS: Yes, at different times there had been radio messages through radio. Also four or five times there were letters delivered from Martin and Gracia through different sources: the embassy and military sources, and actually through our sources. So sporadically over the 12 to 13 months, there have been four or five occasions where the letters have gotten out.

HEMMER: Martin has lost life. Gracia apparently, we are told, lived. I'm curious to know the feeling from you and the others in the organization in Stanford?

ROSS: It's certainly a mixed feeling. We're very, very happy. that Gracia is alive and will be able to be reunited with her three kids in the next few days. We're heartsick and saddened we lost Martin and as well Deborah Yap -- and her children and brother involved there. And also the Philippine military that might have been involved.

Also, I think, we would like to say we appreciate the prayers of the thousands of Christians around the world who have been praying constantly for Martin and Gracia over the past 12 months. We appreciate that very much the support we've seen.

HEMMER: Our thoughts are with you. Thank you, Scott, Scott Ross, live in Stanford, Florida -- WESH helping us out with that interview there.

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