Indonesian media report that today the militants of a known Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, have hijacked the tugboat Brahma 12 with ten crew members on board, near the Sulu islands. 

The hijacking was revealed after one of the crew members contacted his supervisor saying that they were kidnapped and the kidnappers demanded a ransom.

Reportedly the terrorists are demanding a ransom of $ 1,000,000. 

According to the Okezone, the Indonesian National Intelligence Agency (BIN) has confirmed the hijacking. The Agency is coordinating with various parties, including the military, police, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to resume this hostage crisis.

The tugboat BRAHMA 12, built in 2015, has a tonnage of 209 tons, is sailing under Indonesian flag, and belongs to the company 'BRAHMA INTERNATIONAL PT, Jakarta.

Abu Sayyaf was founded in early 1990 by a group of Islamic extremists. These armed groups operating in the southern Philippines are responsible for a series of kidnappings, bombings and beheadings for decades.