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Foreign hostages in Philippines make plea in video surrounded by heavily armed men

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This image taken from a video uploaded to YouTube shows gunmen standing behind John Ridsdel, Robert Hall, Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Hall's partner, Marites Flor, who were kidnapped last month in the southern Philippines.  Photo: YouTube

Three foreign men and a Filipina kidnapped last month in the southern Philippines have appeared in a video posted online, making demands for the Islamic militants who abducted them.

Gunmen raided a luxury marina near the major southern city of Davao on September 21, abducting the Norwegian owner of the resort, two Canadian tourists and one of their girlfriends.

No group immediately claimed responsibility but the video released on Monday appeared to confirm it was the Abu Sayyaf, which has a long history of kidnappings-for-ransom in the southern Philippines.

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In the video, the three foreigners appealed for Philippine authorities to halt military assaults against the gunmen.

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