Abu Sayyaf threatens to kill U.S. hostages

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- A spokesman for a Muslim extremist group in the southern Philippines has threatened to kill two Americans it is holding hostage after the government's refusal earlier this week to negotiate.

"We have closed the negotiations so it is up to them (the government) to look for the dead bodies if they want to," Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya said on Filipino radio Wednesday.

Asked if he meant the Abu Sayyaf plans to kill the American missionary couple -- which it has held hostage for a year -- the spokesman said, "it depends."

"If we see our situation becoming difficult, maybe we will just bid goodbye to these two," he said, adding that the group would not kill the couple right away.

Martin and Gracia Burnham are thought to be held on the island of Basilan in the southern Philippines along with Filipina nurse, Deborah Yap.

For the last several months, U.S. Special Forces have joined Filipino patrols in the jungles of Basilan in a joint mission aimed at wiping out Abu Sayyaf as part of the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

Abu Sabaya's statement Wednesday came in response to a statement from Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that the government would not negotiate with terrorists.

She was responding to a call earlier in the week from Abu Sabaya to open negotiations for the hostages' release.

'Ransom'

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the Burnhams' family had paid $300,000 to the Abu Sayyaf to secure the couple's release.

Abu Sabaya said the group has not received any money for the couples' release.

The Burnhams, from Rose Hill, Kansas, were snatched last May along with American Guillermo Sobero and 17 Filipinos.

Sobero, a Californian native, was later found to have been beheaded after his remains were uncovered by Filipino troops near the Abu Sayyaf's jungle hideout on Basilan.

The other 16 Filipinos were later released.

Abu Sayyaf recently admitted to having links with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network --, confirming U.S. suspicions that the kidnappers were tied to the group blamed for the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

-- CNN Correspondent Maria Ressa contributed to this report