Philippines Condemns Beheading of Canadian Hostage by Abu Sayyaf

Kuala Lumpur, 19 rajab 1437/27 April 2016 (MINA) – The Philippines’ government on Tuesday condemned the beheading of Canadian citizen John Ridsdel who was held hostage by Abu Sayyaf group.

“This is such a barbaric act by these people and one would be tempted to think that they should also meet the same fate”, said Mayor of Jolo Island Hussein Amin in a press statement.

Security forces have executed operations to free the remaining hostages held by the group, he added.

The Philippines’ authorities discovered the severed head of Ridsdel in Jolo on Monday, hours after the deadline of an ultimatum given by the group to governments of Canada, Norway and the Philippines to pay ransoms to free the captives, KUNA was quoted by (Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Ridsdel was among four people abducted on September 21 at the Oceanview Resort on Samal Island, southern Philippines, the part which is considered home to Abu Sayyaf.

The hostages included Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad, Canadian Robert Hall and Filipina Marites Flor. The families of the captives failed to pay the high ransoms demanded by the group to spare their lives.

Abu Sayyaf is an Islamist militant group that has been linked to Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State (IS). The group held foreign hostages several times in recent years.

The group was responsible for the Philippines’ worst terrorist attack, the bombing of Superferry-14 in 2004 that killed 116 people. (T/R07/R01)

(Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)