The captor of the Wallert clan gets a life sentence in jail.
Nearly two decades ago, around 2,000 radical Islamic terrorists operating out of Malaysia seized 21 individuals. This group included the German pair, Wallert, along with their son. The captives were progressively set free in exchange for substantial monetary payments. Recently, a Philippine court has handed down lifetime sentences to several members of this terror group.
The Abduction of the Wallert family, originating from Lower Saxony, Germany, has made international headlines some 24 years ago. Seventeen members of the extremist group Abu Sayyaf are now looking at 40-year prison terms each, according to the Philippine News Agency, citing the Ministry of Justice.
The incident gained significant media attention for several months as the terrorists, heavily armed, snatched hostages from a Malaysian resort and transported them into the dense Philippine jungle on April 23, 2000. Alongside the German couple Werner and Renate Wallert from Göttingen and their 26-year-old son Marc, the kidnappers took two Finnish nationals, two South Africans, two French, one Lebanese, and eleven Filipino hotel workers.
Renate Wallert was the first European hostage to be released, almost three months later. The captors continued to free more individuals over time, reportedly thanks to large ransom payments from Libya, led by dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi at the time. Werner Wallert was set free on August 27, while his son Marc was released on September 9.
The leader, codenamed "Commander Robot," and several members of the terror group were apprehended four years after the abduction. Tragically, the leader met his demise during a prison riot in the Philippine capital, Manila. The abduction was carried out with the aim of pushing for an autonomous Islamic state in the Philippines. Abu Sayyaf has since been implicated in numerous terror attacks and abductions within the Philippines.
The Wallert family, hailing from Lower Saxony, Germany, was among the kidnapped victims in the infamous abduction that took place nearly two decades ago. According to recent reports, some members of the Abu Sayyaf group, responsible for this incident, are serving lengthy prison sentences in the Philippines.
