The spokesman of the Abu Sayyaf has threatened to kill the American couple they kidnapped from Dos Palmas hotel in Palawan southwestern Philippines in April.

He gave President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo until November to start negotiating and stop the week-long military assault in southern Philippines. She is scheduled to go to the United States on November 18 to 20.

"Now, if President Arroyo wants to have a successful visit to the U.S., she should first stop this military rescue operation, otherwise she would be taking with her the cadavers of Martin and Gracia Burnham and this would really be very embarrassing," said Abu Sabaya. He contacted DXRZ by cellular phone from an unknown hideout in Basilan.

"These two Americans maybe executed even before they could be rescued by (the U.S.-assisted Philippine) military forces," said Sabaya.

"The deadline of the military to resolve this crisis is in November. We could start negotiating today. Every hour is important because the hostages are on the firing line," said Sabaya, adding, "It depends on the government whom to appoint to negotiate with us."

Citing his demands for the start of negotiations, Sabaya said: "They (in government) should pull out the soldiers and stop the military operations in Basilan island and Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces so we could start the negotiations.

"It really does not matter to us if they were able to rescue the local hostages. They were not important to us anyway and their escape will not affect us because we still have the two Americans."

Sabaya allowed Burnham to speak out and call on Arroyo for the safe release of the hostages, including 12 Filipinos.

Ongoing rescue operations would not release the hostages, Burnham said, adding: "Please stop the rescue attempt because our lives are often in danger. I sustained a superficial injury from a grenade at one early rescue attempt. It is now healed. But the repeated recent rescue attempts and especially the artillery (gun fires) and the air strikes are very frightening.

"They are so random. They cannot rescue me with artillery attempts. They cannot rescue me with air-strikes.

"I am very tired, weak, and frightened. Unlike the local hostages, it is impossible for me to escape. I am always tied or chained. I cannot escape. I am always in the centre of the group.

"My wife lost a lot of weight from walking. We have been walking a lot and running a lot in the last few days. She was not wounded by ammunition, but her feet are very blistered and sore. The other hostages are not wounded, too, but they are so weary.

"We alone would be killed and our children would be orphaned. The hostages are going to succumb to sickness and eventually some of them will be killed."

Burnham also took the opportunity to send a message to their daughter Mindy, whose birthday is on October 17. "We would like to wish our daughter Mindy (in the U.S.) a happy birthday. This is our first opportunity to send them news that we are alive and well.

"I would like to request the Philippine government and our own government to please negotiate with these people. For the past four-and-a-half months, nobody would talk to them. I think if somebody would talk with them, they would negotiate (for our release).

"We have food only when there is food. We have water only when there is water. We are sleeping on the ground and we are bitten by insects."

Talking about the Abu Sayyaf's political message, Burnham said: "They are asking me to relay that Americans everywhere are in danger, that we are targeted because the Americans have given aid to the Israeli government and are oppressing the Palestinians. They asked me to relay their support of their Muslim brothers worldwide, that they have targeted the Americans because of that."

Talking about the fate of American hostage Guillermo Sobero, Burnham said: "When they told to me that they killed him on June 12, I believed them."
The FBI confirmed Sobero's death, based on the findings of the skeletal remains that were recovered from the site of his execution.

Our Manila Bureau Chief adds: The presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said: "This is a good development. They publicly said they want to talk them. I can assure the Burnham couple we are open to talks. That is precisely what we want, that the lines of communications remain open."

He pleaded for the lives of the American missionaries, saying they are innocent and should not be dragged into the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Middle East.

"It is not wise to stop operations now. Sabaya should first surrender," said Southern Command Chief Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu, adding the group's demand was a desperate move because they are feeling the pressure.