Updated

The head of Indonesia's intelligence agency says three Indonesians were kidnapped at sea by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants on the weekend.

Sutiyoso, who goes by one name, said Monday the men were working on a Malaysian fishing boat off Lahad Datu in the Malaysian part of northern Borneo.

He says several other crew on the boat escaped.

The kidnapping is the latest in a series of raids on boats this year by Abu Sayyaf militants based in the southern Philippines.

The kidnappings have highlighted weak security in the Cerebes Sea that borders Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.