By
The Associated Press
TRIPOLI, Libya - A plane carrying four former hostages freed by Muslim rebels in the Philippines arrived yesterday in Tripoli, and one of them said their captors raped some of the female hostages.
Risto Vahanen, a Finn who was among 21 captives held for as many as 140 days in the Philippine jungle, told Finnish MTV3 in an interview aired yesterday that they were powerless to help the women.
"Some, a few, women there were treated in an inappropriate manner," Vahanen said, and answered "yes" when asked if they had been raped.
He said the raped women did not want their names disclosed but wanted the incidents to be made public. `"They were of the opinion that it had to be made public, without names, so that the world would know what Robot had done," Vahanen said, referring to rebel leader Ghalib "Robot" Andang.
"It was quite surprising because otherwise we were treated in a proper way," he said in the interview conducted before leaving the Philippines.
The four former hostages' arrival in Tripoli, which followed their release Saturday, came amid fears that fat Libyan payoffs would only encourage more hostage taking.
Libya reportedly paid $1 million each to secure freedom for the German, Frenchman and two Finns, including Vahanen, who flew yesterday out of the Philippines after being held for months by the Abu Sayyef, the smaller of two rebel groups fighting for an independent Muslim state in the southern part of the country.
First to appear at the aircraft's door was Libyan negotiator Rajab Azzarouq, who triumphantly waved to the dozens of well-wishers and journalists waiting on the tarmac. The hostages followed, carrying bouquets of flowers.
The hostages were quick to praise Libya for securing their freedom.
"I think they have done a really great job," Vahanen said. "It may be possible that they've saved our lives.'"
After showing the arrival of the aircraft, Libyan state television began broadcasting patriotic songs over footage of hostages and reporters inside the VIP lounge.
A day after the four hostages were released Saturday, three men, all Malaysians, were abducted from near where Abu Sayyaf rebels kidnapped 21 people, including the four Europeans, on April 23.
One Filipino resort worker remains in captivity from the group captured in April. Two French television journalists, seized when they visited the rebels' camp, are still being held by the Abu Sayyaf. The guerrillas are also holding 12 Filipino Christian evangelists.
Another faction is holding American Jeffrey Schilling.
Libyan officials have denied ransom was paid, saying they instead secured the rebels' confidence by funding development projects in the impoverished, heavily Muslim southern Philippines. But negotiators in the Philippines said Libya paid $1 million ransom for each of the four released Saturday and another $1 million each for six released late last month.
"Paying ransom ultimately comes back to bite you," said Philippine presidential Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora.
The released hostages have reported sudden signs of wealth in the rebel camp - new clothes, gold jewelry. Negotiations for the remaining hostages have been suspended because of fighting among the Abu Sayyaf factions, reportedly over the division of the ransom money.
"There was no payment with the aim of encouraging the kidnappers to carry on more operations," Ali El Tureiki, Libya's state minister of African affairs, told reporters in Tripoli this week. "The agreement was to do some projects to help the Muslims in the south Philippines, and the areas Libya considers itself morally responsible for."
Muslim Libya has long-standing ties with Muslim rebels in the mostly Catholic Philippines.
In addition to negotiating in previous kidnappings, it has helped build schools and mosques in the south and has been accused of training members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the larger Muslim rebel group.
Despite the ransom concerns, Libya was reaping diplomatic rewards for its efforts.
Libya, long accused of sponsoring terrorism and meddling in the affairs of other countries, is working to end years of international isolation. International sanctions were suspended last year when Libya handed over for trial in the West two of its government officials accused in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja headed to the north African nation to participate in a welcome ceremony for the hostages scheduled today. France and Germany were sending lower-ranking officials from their foreign ministries, though diplomats in Tripoli said German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, in New York on Monday for U.N. meetings, would try to reach Tripoli in time for today's ceremony.
A similar ceremony held for the six former hostages released last month was an anti-American affair, held at the ruins of the house where Gadhafi's adopted daughter was killed in a 1986 U.S. bombing.
The freed hostages were Vahanen and Seppo Franti of Finland; German Marc Wallert, whose parents were earlier released; and Stephane Loisy of France.
