MichaelDSsellers
Manila (AFP) - Islamic militants in the Philippines have beheaded a 70-year-old German hostage they were holding for ransom, Manila officials said Monday, as Berlin condemned the murder as "unscrupulous and inhumane".
The Abu Sayyaf group, blamed for the worst terror attacks in Philippine history, had demanded a ransom of 30 million pesos ($600,000) be paid by Sunday to spare Jurgen Kantner.
After the expiration of the deadline the jihadists, which were monitored by intelligence group SITE, posted a gruesome video showing Kantner being killed by a knife-wielding man.
Shortly after the clip appeared Philippines government envoy Jesus Dureza confirmed the death of Kantner, who was abducted from his yacht off the southern Philippines last year.
"We grieve as we strongly condemn the barbaric beheading of yet another kidnap victim," Dureza said in a statement. ...
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