Short-lived freedom for five

Scary times: A screencap showing Abu Sayyaf members threatening to behead the kidnapped Indonesian fishermen who were taken from the sea border of Tambisan in Lahad Datu.

KOTA KINABALU: Five Sandakan-based Indonesian fishermen were released by Abu Sayyaf captors only to be held again by another group that assisted their release.

Regional intelligence sources said intermediaries for families of the Indonesian hostages had settled the demands of a key Abu Sayyaf kidnap group, led by sub-commander Apo Mike, who then released them to Abu Sayyaf-linked middlemen.