Military tries to intercept bandits

Masked gunmen kidnapped two Indonesian fishermen in waters off eastern Malaysia and military units were on alert to intercept them as they headed toward the southern Philippines, the army said on Sunday.

Five men snatched the two fishermen late on Saturday from a Malaysian-registered fishing trawler off Sabah. The army suspects the incident could be the work of Abu Sayyaf rebels.

"The gunmen and their victims sped off towards the southern Philippines," army spokesman, Major Filemon Tan, told reporters, adding ground and naval units were trying to intercept the assailants.